Down to Earth
by PennyForTheGuy
Summary: The full story of Claude and the OC I introduced sometime back. I'll be posting this fairly quickly because its mostly done, just need to proof read. The majority is already up on a Frollo fansite, The Fiery Pit.
1. Prolouge

Prolouge

In the 1960's a few people started to set some of the first public recycling programs to replace the land fills that had dominated waste disposal since the early 20th century. Little could they have imagined that since 1930, one company had been recycling its products in a way that should have defied all the laws of the universe.

The Disney Animation Studio, like many studio's, quickly realized when they started producing theatrical shorts in the 1920's that the things they made for the sliver screen actually existed, in a world only accessible to they're creators. At first Disney and his companions left these be like all the other studios. Then as Walt Disney's interested turned more towards his 'experiments' in live action film and theme parks the studio and the company's policy to these creations changed.

This policy continued completely unknown to the general public, all the way to the year 1996. As the studio's latest animated feature film faded from theaters its 'fictional' inhabitants found out for the first time what 'Coming down to earth' means.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Disney World Park in Florida is actually built a few feet above ground. Walt Disney had always disliked that fact that the Disney Land Park back in California provided no discreet way for employees leaving one area of the park to travel through the others. He did not like to see people from the futuristic part traveling through the rest of the park as they left, breaking the illusion of a fantasy world.

So he decided early on that this new park should have ample, hidden passageways for his workers to move through the grounds without being seen by patrons. Engineers solved this problem by building the park on top of a huge labyrinth of hallways and rooms. Officially this labyrinth only contains equipment, bathrooms, changing rooms, and the like.

Cameras have even been down within the bowels of the park reporting on how the place works, but oh so very well hidden are living quarters made for the best and least known employees.

The labyrinth below the park looks the same at almost any time of day. It doesn't take long for any new arrival to figure this out. 5 in the morning looks about the same as noon and midnight, with the exception of noise levels, traffic, and how many lights are on. 5 am, August 5th, 1996. One dark and brooding figure makes his way down the passage mumbling to himself. He slips into a door on the left side camouflaged to look just like part of the pipe covered wall. Behind this door is a large co-ed washroom complete with sinks, hair and hand dryers, stalls, benches, towels, and in beyond a small curtained doorway a shower room.

This man takes off his hat, tries to run the water in the sink. The faucets are motion activated; something he doesn't quite seem to have a grasp on. He continually tries to run the water growling when the faucet activates the spilt second he moves his hands out of the flow.

"To hell with it!"

He turns away and pulls the huge, black, heavy garment he was wearing over his head, throws it on a bench, then grabs some paper towels from the dispenser and wipes his brow. He stares into the mirror for a few minutes, scowling at himself or nothing at all.

Suddenly a shower head in the next room comes to life, causing him to jump a bit. He had thought he was alone in the rooms. He storms up to the curtain grabs it, and rips it back. Standing in the stream of water is a young, curvy woman with short brown hair already soaked. She doesn't scowl or scream or even try to cover herself. She simply smiles faintly and says,

"Good morning to you too. You must be Claude Frollo. They mentioned that you guys would be here soon."

Normally a man of such staunch Catholic belief would have been long gone before she could ever finish a sentence. But a series of shocks, a stressful and confusing move, and being thrust into a degrading job had caused not just slower reflexes but a few million questions that in her next breathe the young woman offered to answer. Frollo stood there staring at nothing for a few seconds.

"Well, in or out?"

That woke him up.

"What?"

"Do you want to come in here," she gestured around the shower room, "and talk, or stay out there?"

Frollo gives her a poisonous stare and yanks the curtain shut. But he doesn't stomp off. He leans against the wall wearing his usual frown.

"You've been here two weeks, right?"

No answer.

"That means that you've started working. Not all that pretty huh?"

He still doesn't say a word, though he can hear pop something open and her squeeze out soap.

"Well, that's one thing you kinda have to find your own way to deal with here. The people, the cameras, the noise, if you don't come up with something soon to keep you sane you'll go loony. I've seen it happen twice already."

"Why do they do this?"

There's a long pause after he says this.

"What?"

"Why do they do this?"

"I can't hear you over the shower head, you have to come in here if you want to talk."

He grabs his forehead and rakes his fingers down his face thinking, _then why did you give me the choice in the first place?_ He wants those questions answered but he doesn't want to see a naked woman again. Ah, solution.

He pulls the red sash from his hat and blindfolds himself with it. It had been ripped away while leaving Paris and he had had to constantly tuck it back in. He slips past the curtain and carefully feels his way to the bench in the middle of the room, and sits facing away from the young woman. Again there's a long awkward pause before he speaks.

"Why did they do this?"

"They hate to waste."

He whips around.

"Waste?"

"When an animator creates a full fledged character, it becomes real in another world. Its creator can access that world. But, animators work for directors, and directors work for producers and studio executives. If a movie doesn't make the money it cost at the box office, or if it makes a lot of money, the animators are given an executive order. Bring your creation into our world. They'll work for us now. If you don't, you're out of a job. Unfortunately, your movie hasn't done so well. So they want you and the rest to make back that money they spent by having you play yourself secretly here in the park. But you've already figured that out."

"Obviously." He says through clenched teeth.

"But I bet you don't know just where you stand in here."

She turns off the shower and squeezes excess water out of hair before rubbing her skin dry with a towel. She wraps the towel around her and uses another to start drying her hair.

"You can take off that blindfold, I'm decent." She says as she leaves the shower room.

Frollo slowly removes the silk from his face, gets up and follows her out. She's standing in front of the mirrors, still rubbing her hair dry. Finally she throws the towel in a bin, and quickly brushes the tangles out of her short dark hair.

"Okay, where you stand in this park depends on where you work. First there's the outsiders, everyone who works in the part of the park that the public visits, and the insiders, we all stay out of sight down here. You already know you're an outsider. You one of the performers, you have to wander around and walk in the parades. There are also the people in the stores, the stalls, the games, the rides, and the restaurants, and a few guys that clean the place and the security guards. The insiders are mostly people in engineering, repairs, and logistics."

"Logistics?" he breaks his frown and gives her a quizzical look.

"They're those really annoying, high voiced guys that are always running around like headless chickens making sure everyone and everything gets where it needs to."

"On the outside-side of things, you are pretty high up there in terms of importance, but in here your about even with the rest of us."

"Do you, have to live down here too?"

"No, I'm allowed to have an apartment of my own, mostly because I have family and friends that would worry about me. But I hardly ever go there. They keep me on a tight schedule."

"What are you?"

"I work in one of the many gift shops that just about every single yuppie who comes to the park has to get about thirty things from. But I'm a trained animator."

"Animator!"

"They never actually gave me a job."

"You, your one of the ones that…"

"I told you, they didn't give me a job. Last time I was paid for any animation was a year ago when I got my last paycheck from an advertising firm I did work for."

She finishes fussing with her hair and grabs her robe, faces away from him, puts it on, pulls off the towel and ties it shut. She throws that towel in the bin as well and takes a few steps up to him.

"My name's Anya. Welcome to the Disney Team. If that term makes you nauseous better get some Pepto Bismo cause they use it every time they have bad news, which is about 200 times a day."

She smiles and raises her hand. He looks at it, then her, and finally grasps it.

"Do you know how long I'll have to stay here?"

"Don't know. All I know is that Mickey and Snow White where the first ones they brought over, and they're still stuck here. If you still want to take a shower you'd better hurry, this place will be packed by 6."

She walks out of the washroom, leaving him to wonder for the thousandth time since those strange men came knocking on his door just what has gone wrong in the world.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

6:30 am, and the corridors are no longer quiet. They're filled with the sounds of voices, running and walking feet, pipes, wheeled carts and the occasional crash of something dropping. Meandering his way through the sea of people in costumes, khakis and uniforms is Claude Frollo passing time till he has to ascend to the surface in a giant mask of himself.

As he moves along his eyes fall most often on the other performers, some from other worlds like him, some from this one, but all stuck in that same degrading job of making patrons feel like they're in a fantasy.

He hates everything about this job, most of all that mask. Whatever the damned thing is made of causes him to over heat the minute he gets into the burning Florida sun, which also causes it to give off horrible noxious fumes that make him nauseous and nearly caused him to pass out the first day. Anya had said that he needed to find something to do to keep himself sane. What could he possibly do in here?

The park opened its gates right on time, and he like many others was waiting at those gates for the first rush of visitors. There is little he can be grateful for, but one thing is the fact that his real face is completely hidden and no one can see his angry scowl, or a grimace of pain, or a green tinge when nausea sets in.

That day was hotter than most, and as morning turned to afternoon every living being in that park suffered to one degree or another. Some people loose their energy when it's hot; some people get cranky. As it is, young children seem to get cranky rather than tired, cranky enough to kick a character in the shin with seemingly no provocation.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Frollo limped off searching for a quiet cool place to hide and rest. He found a shaded bench nearby that was blissfully quiet and isolated. He sat down, removed his mask and rubbed his sore leg. It twinged a little and was definitely going to bruise. He keeps rubbing his leg and looks around at the crowd milling about, trying to get anywhere air-conditioned.

"That's why I hate little kids."

Frollo nearly jumps out of his skin. Standing right next to him is the same pretty young lady he met all wet that morning.

Anya is dressed in her uniform, black slacks, white button up shirt, and a small tight vest. She's holding a box with what's presumably her lunch.

"Their parents always insist they're the cutest things ever but you'll never meet anything ruder." She starts to sit down next to him.

"Don't."

"Don't what? Sit next to you? Are you afraid of cooties?"

She smiles but he just gives her a blank stare. She snorts and waves her hand over her head.

"Sorry, I forgot the last time you checked it was still the 13th century. May I sit down?"

"N…," he considers it for a moment, what really does he have to lose after all of this?

"Alright."

Anya seats herself next to him but still leaves a buffer of personal space for him.

"I saw you walking around earlier today, couldn't see your face but I could tell you weren't feeling well."

No answer. She opens the box and pulls out a small container of potato salad and a spoon and takes a few bites.

"You know, despite what they said when you came, you can tell them your getting heat sickness and they will have to cut your hours."

He pauses, and slowly sits up.

"You can; if you want, ask them to let you off during the hotter parts of the day and come back on the clock when it gets cooler."

He stares at her for a few moments, she just continues eating her salad. He sighs in defeat, and says,

"How do I do that?"

"I'll show you everything when my shift's over at six."

Just after six then, in a small alcove of one of the break rooms, Frollo sat huddled over a small pile of paper work with Anya slowly guiding him through it. As she explained most every big company makes things deliberately confusing, and Disney was no exception.

These forms seem to ask every conceivable question except 'why do you need this shift change?'. Even though they were semi hidden, the pair could be seen together over they're little mountain of paper. Frollo began to grasp some of the things Anya had told him about in this park little culture. People like Anya 'humans' tended to keep to them selves and gossip in their own circles about their own affairs. People like him, commonly called 'toons' tended to leap on any bit of news, whether theirs or the human's.

That simple truth was shown in the glances and whispers turned their way from the tables occupied by other toons. Some of Anya's co-workers came up to them, said hello, asked what they were doing, offered a few words of advice, then moved on. Frollo noticed one of them sit down next to a toon and the two carry on as if they were in love. This piqued his curiosity.

"Is there much, fraternization between our kinds?"

"Huh?" Anya looked up at him.

He nodded towards the couple.

"Oh, not much. Friendship is encouraged, dating isn't. The executives like to make all kinds of rules to keep it from happening. They don't want anyone outside this park knowing about you. Its kind of hard to hide that when you've got a lot of people at your park acting as if they're in love with someone when no one's met them or heard of them."

"I see."

He looked at the couple again.

"How long have they been…dating?"

"That couple? Only a month. That guy tends to go through them a lot. Nice guy but he can never read a woman for the life of him. Been dumped more times than he can count."

Frollo shuddered a bit. He had never heard of the concept of dating in his time. There was only marriage or celibacy. He had chosen the later, and to think of people going from one person to the next with hardly a thought of matrimony was repulsive. Anya brought him out of his revere to continue plowing through the paper work. But in some far off part of his mind his thoughts continued.

That night, for the first time in years dreams returned to him. He had little recollection of them the next morning, and brushed them aside until he got to the showers. The rush of water awakened the lost images, soft warm skin beneath his hands. At first he thought these were lingering images of the gypsy girl whose spell over him had been cracked by the move. Until the memory of fine, silken smooth; short hair running between his fingers surfaced as well. He shook his head and banished the images. Perhaps it was just the shards of the spell still lingering about him. Anya was of no interest to him. One little voice that would soon grow in strength whispered _then why dream of her?_

Frollo filed his paperwork, and went about his job and let the days roll by. He took Anya's advice and found a hobby of sorts, reading and studying Christian history since the time he left Paris and found particular interest in the growth of the Russian Orthodox Church.

He saw nothing of Anya and partially hoped not to. In a few days his request was granted and he was allowed to take the blistering afternoons off and worked instead in the early and late hours of the day.

Evenings were not so bad. He found some measure of comfort in the cool night air. It reminded him of winters in Paris something he had always loved but feared he would never experience again.

Late one night after his shift ended he found a quiet corner of the park away form the screaming crowd and roaring fireworks. It was bathed in beautiful silver light of the full moon, so gentle and holy. He raised his face to the light and breathed deep and felt lulled into peace for the first time in the long time.

He felt a presence behind him, and turned to see Anya.

"What are you doing here so late?" he scowled a bit.

"I worked a later shift today. Just got off. You too?"

He nodded and turned around again. Anya came round to his side and remained unusually quiet. Frollo fought the urge to look at her but after awhile his eyes turned towards her. Anya did not look at him but only gazed into the moonlit trees in front of them. Suddenly she stepped forward.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

She smiled and gestured for him to follow. He stood there for a moment, then with a shake of his head and a muttered 'I must be crazy' he followed. He soon saw why she wanted him to follow. Though the trees stood in near the wall, there was at least six feet of space between it and the trunks all covered by their leaves. It created a beautiful secluded boulevard all covered in dappled sliver light. Anya led him down this Boulevard of Moonlight to a point where there was about ten extra feet of space, made by a bowling out of the elevated garden wall. It made for a clearing completely hidden to anyone on the other side.

Anya paced around it, and came to stand in front of him.

"I wanted to show you this for awhile. I found when I started here. These trees used to be tiny, but thirty years to grow does wonders. I thought you needed a place to call your own since your stuck here like this."

Frollo looked around and cleared the frog from his throat.

"It is lovely. I appreciate you showing me this. Does anyone else know about it?"

Anya shook her head.

"Never told a soul. Never wanted to be bothered."

A faint smile played at the corner of his lips. He could sympathize with that. Once again his eyes wandered down to Anya's face. He became entranced by the color of her eyes. They seemed neither green nor blue nor grey, but some mix of all like the sea after a storm.

Before he knew what he was doing, his hand slowly moved from his side and came up to touch her face ever to lightly. The feel of warmth beneath his cool fingers triggered the memory of the dream from weeks past and he moved his hand away, quickly apologized and hurried off, leaving Anya in the grove. That night his dreams returned, this time stronger than before with stormy eyes gazing into him.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When has anyone ever said love was an easy thing? Anya Petrovna Romanov had thought this on many occasions. She'd been through her share of relationships. She wasn't popular in elementary school or in middle school. A full blooded Russian she was tomboyish and stocky with eternal bed head. Then as she hit puberty she suddenly thinned out and grew into a shapely and vivacious person. She was never too well endowed in the chest, but an incredible pair of legs and hips with a playful personality got her more than a few admirers.

After a few disastrous relationships Anya decided that the boys in her high school were just that; boys; and not worth half the time and grief they caused. She didn't date seriously again till she got to college. The first boyfriend she found seemed to like her and respect her, but a few months in an old ex came knocking and he decided that Anya wasn't the one he wanted.

The following winter she found another one, sweet and sincere, and a complete geek but she loved him for it. Their personalities were a perfect match and they remained together even after she graduated college and had plans to wed, plans she decided to put on hold when she got the chance to try out to be a Disney animator. What was supposed to be a two week trip at most turned into months, and Anya was forced to find a permanent place to live in California.

Soon after it cost her the fiancé and the life back in her home city. She was never accepted as an animator, and rather than return home in disgrace she decided to take a pity offer and go to Florida with the last of her savings to work for Disney not as an animator but as a cash clerk in one of their gift shops.

Two years passed and Anya was still there though she had moved up a little and gotten a raise. She had not been with anyone since she had left her fiancé for LA and had heard he had not only found someone else but had gotten engaged again.

Like anyone who works at that park for any period of time Anya learned it's in and outs, its secrets, and the little hidden places within it. She wasn't much interested in getting to know its more colorful employees. They tended to stir bad memories of wasted time.

Every time a movie comes out under the Disney name, the workers get a free screening in some small theater. Anya went to see the newest, Hunchback of Notre Dame a few weeks after it came out. She was disappointed how much they had butchered the book to make it more kid friendly but very much liked how much they had fleshed out her favorite character, Claude Frollo.

It wasn't until she was lying in bed that night that it hit her; those characters are real and very soon they'd be coming to work at the park. She wanted to meet Frollo and perhaps talk to him. A few days later she went to see the movie with a co-worker and this time found herself paying more attention to him, getting excited at thought that he was coming here.

She wanted to meet him as soon as possible and was secretly delighted that the movie didn't do so well in box offices. She had planned to 'bump' into him not long after he arrived but honestly did not expect him to 'bump' into her in the shower. Frankly she was amazed afterwards how she managed to talk to him with out either one of them freaking out.

She certainly did feel sorry for him, and was genuinely glad to help him in anyway she could be it filling out forms or giving him a place to be alone. He surprised her again when she showed him her little Boulevard of Moonlight. Anya was sure he still preferred Esmeralda. Why wouldn't he?

Then he touched her so tenderly; and ran off embarrassed. Was he falling for her? Anya went home completely confused and puzzled over the event again and again. If he was falling for her, which was unlikely at best, why wasn't she falling for him? She had always had an odd taste in men, and did find him attractive in his own way, but wondered weather she could love him.

Not just him, but anyone. It wasn't him it was just her experience. She worried losing a fiancé had crippled her emotionally. Trying to be sure, she pictured their walk in the boulevard, coming to stop in the grove with dappled silver light. She could feel his fingertips again cool one moment then fiery hot the next.

Instinctively her hand reached up to touch the place they had rested. One moment longer and her hand would have been raised to his, would have coaxed him to cup her face the way he may have longed to. Anya then came to a conclusion.

She may not have any discernable emotion now, but the body often knows things before the heart. If he wanted her and she wanted him, she would pursue him. She knew he would turn and run or even try to fight but she would not take no for an answer. This may be the final chance for them both, and she was determined to grab it.

Over the next week Claude learned just why people said that anyone trying to avoid love will find that the radio is their worst enemy. It seemed any time he came anywhere near a speaker there was some love song playing. And not just any love song, but some song that seemed to perfectly describe exactly the situation his was in. Every time he heard one of these songs he would try to cover his ears. But there was one problem with that, his head was covered by that insufferable mask. So, love song-cover ears- BONK!

By the forth or fifth time he was pretty damn sure he heard his father laughing and yelling 'imbecile!' from heaven. Fortunately later on he figured out most of these songs were one a loop and once he'd heard them a few times he could pretty much tune them out, unless they had these little pieces of lyrics that stuck to his brain like mortar on stone. He'd be going through his day or lying in bed at night and these lyrics would just pop into his head.

'Sail away with me honey, put my heart in your head

Sail away with me honey now, now, now,

Sail away with me, what will be will be,

I wanna hold you now, now, now'

_'Jump in the water, cmon baby jump in with me_

_Jump in the water, cmon baby get wet with me_

_Jump in the water, cmon baby jump in with me_

_Jump in the water, cmon baby get wet [get wet, get wet]_

_Kiss that frog, lady kiss that frog'_

'Baby I've been searching like everyone else, can't say nothing different about myself

Sometimes I'm an angel, and sometime I'm cruel

And when it comes to love, I'm just another fool

Yes I'll climb a mountain, I'm gonna swim the sea

There ain't no act of God girl, could keep you safe from me'

_'Like a gift from the heavens_

_It was easy to tell_

_It was love from above that could save me from hell_

_She had fire in her soul_

_It was easy to see_

_How the devil himself could be pulled out of me'_

'Pretty soon we were takin' it serious

Me and you underneath a mysterious spell

Nothin' I could do and it suddenly felt like a bolt out of hell

I'm tellin' you

To the sound of the beat I was hanging on

Like a powerful truth, it was banging on me

Wouldn't let me go

Like a shot in the dark she was hot like a spark'

One night he was in bed fast asleep; caught in dreams of his home when those songs came into his head and even woke him up. When he realized he was awake he completely lost his temper and pounded stuffing out of his pillow. His rage subsided and he rubbed his face and shook his head and crawled out of bed.

Every one of Disney's toons lives in the same complex underneath the park. It's accessible by a large door concealed in a similar manner as the door to the bath and shower room. Each one of them has an apartment or suite, consisting of one fore-room/ living room/ kitchen and one bedroom with a half bath.

Frollo stood over his sink, running the cold water over his head trying to clear it. After a few minutes and he pulled his head out and turned off the water. It had helped a little.

He stared at himself in the mirror and wondered what had happened to him. He would give anything to be what he once was again, before Anya, before the move, before the gypsy girl. He knew there was no going back, remembering some thing an old professor at his university had said.

"Nothing fades as fast as the future, nothing clings like the past."

He ran a hand through his soaked hair and tried to think of a way to make it all go away. As long as Anya didn't know anything he was reasonably safe. Perhaps he should just ask her to leave him alone, or if he didn't see or speak to her it might all fade and he could more or less get back to normal.

He took in a huge breath, toweled off his hair some and went back to bed though sleep wouldn't come for hours yet.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Anya had resolved a week ago to pursue Claude no matter what the cost. But it hadn't taken her long to figure out he must have come the exact opposite conclusion. Whatever doors she had opened before now seemed slammed shut, every time she tried to get anywhere near him he'd either ignore her or run off.

She told herself to stay calm and be patient this was more or less to be expected but couldn't help feeling a little…pissed off! Having her moon cycle begin again didn't really help. So she decided to take a night off and spend it cooling down and soothing her injured ego by curling up on the couch, watching Hocus Pocus and V for Vendetta, with some ice cream and ranch drenched salad never far away. The next morning she revved up, listened to every empowering Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morrisette song she had, put on one of her best corset vests over a black small T and skinny black jeans, and headed back to the park to get that man.

She did not have to work that day either, and not having to be somewhere else to be helped a lot. She spotted him quickly and told herself she would not stalk him, he was already down right scared of her and that would only make it worse. It didn't turn out to be so easy, working there every day and forgetting her swimsuit at home didn't leave the place looking very fun. She found various ways of killing time while still keeping a distant watch on his movements, waiting for him to go off the clock for the afternoon.

Sure enough at 3:00 pm he disappeared and she prepared to make her way the secret grove. She had just gotten past the main crowd when a huge commotion down the way caught her attention. It was certainly the parade making it way along but something about that louder than usual roar from the crowd made her feel uneasy. Anya got to a nearby light pole and climbed up on its base to get above and see just what was going on.

The parade was larger than normal and she could tell that many of the characters who might normally have been off were stuck performing in it. The HoND float was one of the first to go by, and she easily spotted Claude who to her shock was wearing a layer of make up at least an inch thick to hide his real face. The same was true for every other character on that float.

"Makes sense, come to think of it, heat stroke form that mask was his whole reason for getting out of these things to begin with…oh no."

Anya watch as about three young boys moved off of the sides and marched up to Frollo. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she could tell they were trying to insult him. Frollo ignored them and kept moving but their boldness incited other children to follow suit and he was soon surrounded by a sea of kids chanting 'We Hate You! We Hate You!'

Anya watched with disgust, and climbed down from the light post. She pushed her way through the crowd to the other side and walked up to that circle of kids with all the determination of Joan of Arc. She knocked a few of the twerps aside, grabbed his shoulder, whirled him around, and before anyone could say or do anything, pulled him in and planted a deep, long, passionate kiss on his lips.

For a few moments the entire place stood still, no one seemed to breathe except the two of them. After what must have been forever and a day her lush lips slowly parted from his. She let him go, sneered at the kids, and strutted off back into the crowd. After that Anya felt pretty good and was reasonably sure that her intent had been driven home, and was quite satisfied with everyone else's reaction to that kiss. She hadn't felt quite like this since before she left Minneapolis and it was wonderful to have that vixen confidence back again. She went straight back to revel in her little success and plan her next attack.

Claude Frollo could hardly believe what had just happened. He had been thrown his share of looks, the gypsy of course, most of the rest from saucy wenches trying to get an easier sentence, but never ever anything like this. He was completely and utterly shell shocked and could hardly move. Soon after she left, the parents of all those children pulled them back and he moved on still with the same dazed, glassy look on his face. Once the parade was over and the floats returned to their underground garage the performers and characters were told they could have the rest of the evening off.

Most were all too eager to get out of there but Frollo remained still as a statue. It took one of mechanics shaking him to wake him up enough for him to make his way back to his flat. Once there he simply fell into his chair and sat there for lord knows how long.

She kissed him. She kissed him long, and she kissed him hard. There was nothing tentative about that kiss. It said, 'I want you, and I'm going to have you'. It frightened him to think that she would do that in public for god and the world to see. And if she would do that in public, what else would she do? Fear gripped him again, nearly as strong as it was that night after the Feast, after he saw the gypsy for the first time. He clenched his teeth and dug his nails into his face.

"Why? WHY? Why must this always happen?"

He fell to his knees and took in a few rattling breaths and tried to calm himself down. As he took his hands away from his face he saw the oily make up on them, and went to wash the gunk off of his face.

The cool water soothed him and after a lot of scrubbing he got the thick paste off of his skin. He rubbed his face in a towel and went to lie down on the bed. He was completely drained and could already feel himself drifting off into a deep blissful sleep. While he still had energy he got up and removed his shoulder piece, then flopped back down on the covers.

As his mind began to shut down some half realized though floated across it.

_If she had just held on a little longer…I might have kissed back…_

While Frollo slept and Anya whiled away her 'afterglow' the park was humming and buzzing with the first humors about the saucy little Russian firecracker and the uptight over religious Parisian judge.

What was going on between them? Were they dating? For how long? Was that a first kiss, or one of many? How does he feel about her, how does she feel about him? Was he into her, did he start it or her? Were they sleeping together, were they doing anything else together? Would she get pregnant, was she pregnant? Would he marry her is she was?

By the time Anya came back into work the next morning, she and Claude were madly in love, dating three months and she was two months pregnant with twins. Having gone through the public school system Anya knew just how to deal with these things. Tell the truth when asked, otherwise ignore.

Poor Claude Frollo was not so well informed. Being one of the 'evil' characters as soon as rumor started flying that he had knocked up a human he was the instant target of nearly every insult, joke, slur, and prank conceivable, most of which were thrown his way by the other 'good' toons. He soon realized the only thing that could safe him from this personal hell was to have Miss Romanov tell them face to face it wasn't true. So he prepared himself, swallowed a chunk of pride, and went over to the same park bench were they talked before and saw Anya there having her lunch. He slowly walked up and sat down next to her bit kept his eyes fixed firmly ahead of him.

"I need your assistance, very badly."

Anya slowly pulled the spoon out of her mouth.

"With what?"

"Since you…" he shuddered, "kissed me…my life has been hell."

She took another spoonful of the potato salad, and turned the spoon upside down in her mouth and again slowly pulled it out. His eyes flickered over to her lips for a brief instant than turned back. Finally she swallowed.

"People been giving you trouble?"

"Yes." He said briskly.

"So?" she shrugged and had some more salad.

He groaned and slumped over a little.

"So no matter what I say they still bother me. So they don't believe me when I tell them it's not true. So I want…"

She stopped and looked at him; forcing back a little smile. He took a deep breath and turned to her ever so slightly.

"So I need you to talk to them and tell them it's just a rumor."

He looked at her silently pleading for help. She removed the spoon from her mouth and gave him a warm little smile.

"Sure, I'll do that."

He heaved a sigh of relief and began to get up.

"For a fee."

He froze, then fell back into the seat.

"What?"

"I'm not doing this for nothing."

He turned to her with a look of horror and indignation that soon changed to complete anger.

"You would blackmail me?"

"Well I wouldn't call it that."

"And what do you intend to get out of this?"

"How's luncheon on the grass sound?"

"A DATE! And how may I ask you is going on a date supposed to help weaken all these vicious rumors?"

"I never said it had to be public. I know you better than that. I was thinking something completely private, perhaps in that grove I showed you."

He scoffed and stood up.

"No! No no no no! I will not have anything to do with your hieratical, sacrilegious, 20th century excuse for courtship!"

He jabbed a finger at her.

"And do not, for any instant, think that you know me, Miss Romanov."

She gently pushed his finger away from her face.

"Well then, Monsieur Frollo, have you picked out any good names for those twins we're having?"

Later that week Anya was cheerfully putting together a picnic basket of old French comfort food. She had spent the last few days researching the cuisine of medieval France and had come up with some items she hoped would please him on some level.

She had gathered together from a nearby farmer's Market several fresh figs and dates, some apples, plenty of whole wheat, home baked bread, some bison summer sausage (she thought he might the like the new meat), made a salad from lettuce, tomato, mushroom, and olive oil, and also packed several spreads including butter, cream cheese, cream cheese with chives and veggies, and last but not least some authentic French cheese and a small strawberry shortcake.

She would have liked to make some of her favorite summer borsht but figured she'd better keep the meal French if she wanted to make a good impression. She wouldn't lay on the Russian stuff until there was more affection and less animosity. She finished packing and looked at the clock. She had and hour until he got off for the afternoon.

She went back to the full length mirror and checker her reflection once again. She liked how she looked, she took on a bit of school girl-like charm in that button up white shirt and loose pale blue skirt. She waited another twenty minutes and then headed out to her car. She gave the gate keeper a few strawberries to keep him quiet and slipped into the Moonlight Boulevard, now in daylight was more a Sunlight Boulevard.

Anya laid out a large light blue sheet in the secluded grove, and put a sky blue blanket on top of that. She opened the basket and set out two glasses and readied a bottle of the best wine she could afford. She waited for a few tense minutes, then heard foot steps approaching. Claude appeared around the corner looking like he was being marched into a pit of vipers rather than heading to an afternoon luncheon with a beautiful young woman. That sour face faded just a hint when he saw her.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A luncheon on the grass. Frollo had never once in his life thought of something like that. He was more inclined to take a lunch alone in his dark study or with his ward Quasimodo. Sitting on a blanket in the afternoon sun, with the breeze ruffling the leaves above him and throwing golden lights and green shadows over him and Anya next to him felt strange.

Anya unpacked the food, a rather nice assortment, and offered him some bread along with the meat and butter spreads. He wasn't really paying attention. He nibbled at the bread and lost himself in his thoughts. He expected to feel uncomfortable but instead felt oddly calm; almost numb. He sat in the dappled shade completely silent not responding to anything.

Until Anya pinched his cheek.

"Ow!"

"Well then pay attention! I'm not going to let you space out."

He rubbed his cheek and gave her the evil eye. She folded her arms and sent that evil eye right back. He backed down and turned his eyes away.

"Will you talk to me now?" she asked.

"What do the two of us have to talk about?"

"Good question."

She unfolded her arms and placed her hands on the blanket leaning into him just a fraction.

"Maybe you still have some questions about this place."

He shook his head.

"You sure?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I've gathered all the knowledge I want, all I need to li… survive here."

"Survive? You talk about this world like it's a prison."

"It is, I only intend to serve my term here and then return home."

She leaned back again.

"Your not being punished." She said.

"You said my 'movie' didn't do well and that was why I was brought here, to make up the difference."

"I also said the same is true for those that did well. All they care about is money."

"I gathered that." He said.

She heaved a sigh.

"Did you ever look up how much your movie made, and how much it cost to make?"

"No, I didn't want to know I wanted this sentence to pass as quickly as possible."

"Weather you know or not it's going to be a long sentence." She looked away as she spoke.

He turned his eyes towards her.

"It costs millions to make any Disney movie. You and all the others they brought in have millions to make up. You all get paid about 10 dollars an hour and there are maybe ten people from your particular world here. How long do you think it'll take?"

"Please don't make me think about that."

He wrapped his arms around his knees and hid his face. Anya's shoulders dropped. She felt bad for bringing up such painful things. He was ripped from his home not long ago and must feel like he'll never see Paris again. She knew how that felt, but also knew that her own experience was not his.

Slowly she worked her way over to him, lifted her hands and placed them on his shoulders. He didn't move away.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't say anything. She could just barely hear the sound of his breathing. She gave in to some quiet instinct and placed her head on the nape of his neck. Once again he did not move. They stayed like that for several minutes, neither one saying a thing.

Anya felt as if she were falling asleep; until she felt a cool hand rest on hers. She started to move away then felt his grip tighten a bit.

"You want me to stay?"

"No… I want; I don't know."

"I won't touch you, but I'll stay close." She said softly.

He looked at her.

"Why don't we just try to enjoy ourselves today?"

A small sad smiled appeared on his face.

"Alright."

Claude and Anya ended up staying in that grove long after the moon had risen. They found they had a mutual interest in history and spent most of that time discussing everything from the Renaissance to the French and American revolutions to the fall of the British empire to the effects of the world wars.

He also had a few questions for her about various things, like why her society had grown into such odd values, or why people would break from an ordained sovereign to build a government that changes completely at least every eight years.

When they parted company that night Anya hoped she had opened the door a little more. She liked being with this man, felt the beginnings of love creeping back into her heart. If she could keep doing this; spending small bits of time with him and make sure each one was enjoyable she hoped she would find a place in his heart. That was going to take a long time though and she knew she would have to gain his trust first before he would ever let himself fall for someone.

That night Frollo lightly and without dreams, he didn't need to dream. He woke up about every two hours but didn't feel tired. Every time he did he simply thought of that picnic and felt soothed. Tonight he didn't care why she made him feel this, it made him feel good to be so at peace when thinking of someone and when talking to them. He had been the happiest when the moon came out and threw its ethereal light on their secret grove.

If he hadn't known better he would have said that little sanctuary was nestled in the hills and forests right outside his beloved Paris. That, and Anya looked beautiful in the sliver light. He skin glowed and her smile was even more radiant in moonlight. He had been so relaxed and content he had reached up to touch her face. Unlike last time he didn't get embarrassed or pull away; he left his hand on her cheek and gently stroked it with his thumb.

Her skin was fiery hot just like the time before and it quickly warmed his cool fingers. His touch made her smile and she had lifted her hand to his and held it for several minutes.

The memory of that little moment, perhaps the only moment of genuine intimacy between him and a woman; made him smile a tiny bit. He liked what had happened today very much, and wanted something like it to happen again. Anya had shown herself to be trustworthy today and if he could trust her… well anything was possible.

He didn't really want to get up that morning. Yes he slept badly but he was also perfectly happy lying in bed thinking about his pleasant afternoon with Anya. Finally he dragged himself out of the covers and headed down for a shower, halfway hoping that she would be there.

Part of him said to banish that thought right now but some groggy side of his mind started thinking, _What could I do if she is there?_

She wasn't. He figured it was better that she wasn't. He showered as quickly as possible and went back to his flat. Anya loomed large in his thoughts that day, just as she had in recent days, the difference now being she had become a pleasant thought. Every time he went by her gift shop and spotted her through the window he felt a bit of heat flush his cheeks and a smile grow. No one could see that smile beneath his ridiculous mask so he kept grinning like an idiot until he had to turn away and continue on.

After he got off for the afternoon he headed to the same bench she had found him at before and sat down to wait for her. She arrived not long after him toting her lunch bag. She saw him sitting there, waved, and jogged up.

"I thought you might be here."

Claude found himself suddenly tongue tied, what kind of situation had he just waded into?

"Ah…um, heh, I…"

"It's okay."

She sat down and pulled out some big red grapes and offered him some. He took a few to avoid saying anything. He was in all other times eloquent in his speech but it seemed like he had become a complete idiot in the last few minutes. He couldn't think of one meaningful thing to say.

All he seemed to be able to do was watch her, her mouth, as she ate grapes. His attention focused in on her full lips as they formed around each fruit before she took them into her mouth. After a few grapes he shook his head and forced his eyes to look at the ground.

His intense interest had not gone un-noticed by Anya. She barely contained a laugh and a smirk to see him so entranced. She certainly liked the way things were going, and figured this would be the best time to move in for the kill.

"So," she leaned back a bit, " you have Sunday nights off right?"

He looked up but didn't look at her.

"Yes I do."

"I know you can't leave the park, but they're showing Mission Impossible in the IMAX here, do you want to go see it?"

"Is that a movie?"

"Yea, its one of those spy movies were everything in shooting distance gets blown up and the good guy gets the 'un-gettable' girl in the end."

"Does not sound like something I like." He kept his eyes down.

"Okay, what kind of movies do you like?"

"I don't know."

"Never seen one?" she should have known.

"Never."

"Not surprising. What if I bring something from home?"

"You can play a movie from home in the theater?" he asked, a little confused.

Anya burst out laughing.

"No… I can bring one or two to your place though."

"My place?" he finally looked up, "But humans aren't allowed…"

"Officially we're not, but its not that hard to get in." she winked at him.

"No, Anya I can't do that."

She sighed.

"It makes you uncomfortable?"

"Very."

She shrugged, "Well, there is one more option."

"What is that?"

"That hokey company picnic Sunday. They're letting you guys come, and they going to be showing The Mission on some big inflatable screen."

"Not another spy film."

"No no, the Mission is about Jesuit priests."

He perked up a bit, and placed his hand on his chin.

"Hmm… That does sound mildly interesting."

"So will I see you there?"

Now he surprised her by giving her one of his devious yet dashing smiles.

"Alright."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Anything organized by a company you work for always seems to be the same thing, a lame excuse for a social gathering. Even the Disney park team is not exempt form this rule. An alcohol free, more virginal kid friendly than sexually active adult friendly 'picnic' greeted Frollo when he stepped of the bus that had taken the characters there after they're shift.

Only one other person from his Paris, Clopin, had come. Claude had actually asked him why when he spotted him. His reply was,

"Well it was either this load of shit or the load of shit waiting for me back 'home'."

Thankfully Anya spotted him not long after his arrival and led him to a secluded spot in front of the movie screen. She had set up another little private luncheon for them, but with strange modern foods. He gave her a quizzical look and she shrugged a bit.

"They wouldn't let me bring outside stuff."

He heaved a sigh.

"It'll do."

They sat together and watched some of the scenes around them while waiting for the sun to finish setting and the film to start. Clopin seemed to have gotten caught up in a tug of war game with toons against humans, and it gave Claude great pleasure to see him dragged into the mud pit between the teams.

Some people had brought their children, who Anya said had gotten into a huge bowl of candy in the food tent and were still crazy high on sugar. He believed that seeing how they screamed at nothing and ran at about 1000 miles per hour. Most people had broken into groups and were spread out at various places and were chatting about nothing.

Some others were acting like buffoons on the inflatable games, like playing 'novice contortionist' on the twister, or yanking them selves forward as far as they could against giant bungee cords, or worse yet, bouncing around one inflatable with boxing gloves the size of their own torsos.

Anya shook her head and rolled her eyes, Claude smiled and a tiny chuckle escaped from him. He caught himself and cleared his throat. The sun took forever to set in the late July heat, and stained the sky fiery orange and blood red.

"When is this movie supposed to begin?" asked Claude.

"Um…" Anya looked at her watch, "in about one hour."

"Then I suggest we go for a walk while its still light."

"Alright."

They both got up, Anya paused to brush of her skirt; when she looked up, Claude was offering his arm to her. She grinned a little and took it and they set of on one of the asphalt paths of the park.

Once the noise of the picnic had faded away, they started talking. Not about anything important really, Anya told him about some of the memories she had of the forests she used to camp in every summer back in Minnesota. Her parents had built a Dacha or cabin in the North Woods and the family went there practically every weekend in warm summer months.

Claude listened to her, asked her questions about Minnesota, and even felt comfortable enough to share a memory of the courtyard garden of his university. Eventually the path wound its way around and they came back to the noisy picnic. The first sight that greeted them was of a still mud covered Clopin trying to pick dried clump from his beard.

Claude held in a storm of laughter with great effort and ushered Anya back to their blanket. By the time they got back it was twilight at last and other people were gathering in front of the movie screen. Claude's inner storm erupted as soon as he sat down and while he was incapacitated Anya looked cautiously about her and started digging in the basket. Claude could barely speak through his laughter.

"Anya, Anya what are you doing?"

"Looking for…" she grasped something in the basket and did one last look around before pulling it out.

"This."

In her hands was a bottle of Domaine De Clos De L'Epinay Bordeaux. Claude stopped laughing immediately and sat straight up.

"Where did you get that you evil, incredible girl?"

Anya smiled and giggled a bit.

"An old friend of my father's works for the Grand Hotel in St. Petersburg buying all they're wine. He sends us extra bottles from time to time, and I asked Papa to send the best French bottle he had."

"Best French? This could be the best in the world!"

"Shh! Keep it down, this is supposed to be a dry party. We'd better open it now while there's still some noise, or else we'll have to time it with the gunshots in the movie."

Frollo nodded and concealed the precious bottle in his hands while she dug out the glasses and corkscrew. They opened it o-so quietly and carefully and he poured the glasses with expert grace. He raised his glass to her and she did the same.

"A votre santé."

"Spasibo, budem zdorovy."

Claude took in the incredible bouquet of that wine and then only took the tiniest sip. Anya took a larger drink but savored it for some time.

"What was that you said?"

Anya looked at him.

"Hmm?"

"It was obviously Russian, but what does it mean?"

"Spasibo means thank you, and budem zdorovy means; lets be healthy. Yours meant, to your health, right?"

He nodded. Anya smiled to herself and settled down as the screen lit up and the movie started. The Mission was quite an interesting film, about Jesuit priests founding missions in the South American jungles that were built on soon-to-be Portuguese territory where the natives they try to save may be enslaved no matter what they're belief. As the former mercenary and slave trader Rodrigo took the vows to become a Jesuit near the middle of the movie, Claude's eyes flickered back to Anya.

She was caught in the story and was unaware of his gaze at first, but she soon felt his eyes on her. She turned her own gaze to him but unlike other times he did not turn back. Rather they seemed to be drawn closer together till she was so near he could felt the warmth of her skin and smell the flowery wine on her lips, her red, lush lips.

Maybe the wine had clouded his head, maybe the darkness made him feel more secure, something allowed him to come that close to her.

He looked back and forth between her eyes and her mouth unsure of what to do next. He felt himself slip a little closer and something in him started screaming

_Kiss her you idiot! Kiss her now!_

His breathing sped up and he lifted his hand to gently cradle her head, then tilted his own and leaned in.

Victory. It was sweet and mellow, and seemed to last a decade. By the time he pulled back Anya had lost track of time. She didn't much care either. She snuggled up to him reveled in the fruits of her labor. He wrapped one arm around her and rested his head on hers. For the first time in a painfully long time man and woman were content and completely at ease.

But as all couples soon learn, peace of mind and above all, privacy, are very temporary things. Most others around them were distracted either by the movie or another, but a few loners spotted the two of them and by the time they would return to their duties the next day their romance would be all over the park. For now though they enjoyed one another's company blissfully unaware of how much fighting they would have to do just to stay that way.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Anya wasn't usually one to fuss over her appearance in the morning, especially when it came to her hair. She kept it short just so she wouldn't have to fuss with it and as long as she didn't have any bed head figured it looked pretty good.

The past few days however she had done a little more than wet down the stray strands, she blew dried, gelled and even used her only can of hairspray (which was going on about a year old and seeing its fourth major use).

The reason for all this hair fussing every morning, and uniform ironing every night had taken to visiting her for a few minutes before her shop opened every morning and sitting next to her in the secret grove when she had lunch. This reason had also picked up the habit of gently playing with her hair giving her a good swarm of butterflies every time. Anya put the finishing touches on her dark chestnut mane and headed out the door and on to her work place, still annoying but just a little less dull.

About an hour later employees were rushing about to prep everything and get into their positions with the PA 'count down' bearing down on them. Anya and Claude were standing in an alcove behind her store hand in hand. She gave his hand a little squeeze and lifted it closer to her. This elegant hand looked like it had just jumped off a piece of paper, she could even see faint pencil lines; yet she could feel the bones and tendons beneath the skin.

The sweet moment ended when Anya picked up on a suppressed snicker not five feet away. She smiled at Claude, kissed his fingers, and stomped around the corner and gave her nosy co-worker a swift kick in the ass. She then picked up said co-worker and dragged her around the corner.

"Claude, this is Stacy Benning, Stacy; Claude Frollo."

"Ow," she rubbed her arm and pasted on a smile, "nice to meet you."

Stacy was probably about six inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than Anya, with long dirty blonde hair, a tan that was half rubbed on, and far too much lip gloss.

"Okay peeping tom, back inside; I think you still have to get your till ready."

"Yes master."

Stacy stomped back inside. Anya let out a nervous laugh.

"Don't worry about her, she's not past her whole gossip beach girl phase."

"How old is she?" he asked.

"Bout a year younger than me."

Frollo scoffed.

"She acts like she's five years younger."

"That's how most girls our age are here, better get used to it." She smiled mischievously.

"As far as I'm concerned, the less interaction I have with them, the better." He leaned in, but stopped when he heard the frantic yells of one of the logistics men; who was undoubtedly looking for him. He paused a moment, then pulled her in by the waist and gave her a soft but heated kiss, then kissed her on each cheek and planted one last one on her forehead.

She tried to return the favor but he put two fingers on her lips and said

"Save those, they're better when properly aged."

He donned his mask and walked around towards the fake street. Anya went back into the shop and started setting up her register. Through the window she saw Claude come up behind the logistics guy and bonk him on the head. She couldn't hear them but she could tell from their gestures that Frollo was expertly getting the man to think that it was his own fault that he couldn't find one of his characters.

Being in love with someone of a certain nationality in most cases, causes one to extend that affection to your beloved's country of origin. Frollo was quickly finding such was the case with himself. In all of his studies of history in all of his days at university or on the bench, he had never heard of a nation suffering so much woe and misfortune and still surviving with such vigor. Reading the about the many days and years of the Land of the Rus and the Romanovs and thinking on what kind of people could live and thrive through that really explained to him were Anya got her force and energy from.

They met up after her shift was over and he was on his afternoon break. They sat on the long wild grass; she had snuggled up to him and was resting her head in the space between his shoulder and the nape of his neck. She looked like she was almost asleep she didn't even move when a cool breeze came though and threw tiny white specs into her pitch-black lashes. Claude reached up and tried to gently brush them away. Her eyes fluttered and she looked up at him.

"Sorry," he kept trying to very gently remove the specs.

"Something in my eyes?" she asked innocently.

"Yes."

He stopped for a moment and just looked at her. Deep stormy; sea colored eyes framed by long thick black lashes and flecks of white. He put his hand down.

"What?" she said.

"Nothing, I just decided you look better with them than without."

She smiled just a hint.

"You know I've been wondering something." she said.

"And what would that be?"

"Have you been getting any points?"

Claude's mind stopped dead for a second.

"Points?"

Anya rolled her eyes.

"When you first got here they should have explained the point system to you in an orientation. Or were you not paying attention?"

He gave a look of indignation.

"I was paying perfect attention. You cannot blame me if the man insisted on standing next to some roaring machine that made him impossible to hear half the time." She tapped his forehead in reprimand.

"Well, anyways, the jist of it is, for every shift you do from beginning to end without getting in trouble or getting sick or injured, you get one point. When you get ten points, you can leave the park with at least one other person for four hours. Twenty points, 8 hours, and so on and so forth. You always have to leave with someone else of your kind, but no says you have to stay with them."

"And why did you ask about this in the first place?"

"Well, #1 I think you could use some time away from this hell hole; #2 I also think you need to experience this world a little more; and #3 I know a great little French restaurant not far form home."

"I don't know…"

"What is there to think about? Look, you could either spend a day trying to keep your breakfast inside of you while little kids try to kick your shins or you can get the hell out of here and let me take you a quiet little place with some pretty good food and some really good wine."

He gave in.

"We know each other less than two months and you already know most of my weaknesses."

"Check the points, they're posted on the employee bulletin board, okay?"

She gave him a little kiss.

"Very well."

Turned out Frollo had amassed enough points to take at least two straight days vacation outside the park. He had no intention of using them all in one go. He only needed a few hours to go out to dinner with Anya. He just lacked one thing.

That 'buddy' you were supposed to leave the park with, finding that was going to be downright painful.

He decided to look the list over and see who else might have some points burning a hole in their pocket. The people who had the most were the princesses and their princes, big surprise. He'd rather swallow liquid hellfire than ask them.

Next was Mickey, oh good grief, then Kaa, hmm… nah, Kaa liked to suck up to the good toons by hypnotizing the other 'bad' ones into making fools of themselves, and he did not want to take that chance.

Next was…

"I did not think I would ever see you examining this particular bulletin."

Frollo turned his head slowly and saw a very smug, slender mouse wearing a brown trench coat, green ascot, starched white shirt, and a rather ridiculous looking 'detective's' hat.

"You're Basil of Baker Street, aren't you?"

The detective nodded.

"And you're Judge Claude Frollo of Paris."

"Yes." Frollo said through his teeth.

Basil leaned in a tad.

"And you happen to be dating that feisty little Russian female, Anya Romanov."

"My goodness, 'detective' did you figure that our on your own or did you get a little help?"

"And, you have arranged a date with her this Friday night."

Frollo paused a beat, no one was around when they'd discussed that, nor had they told anyone the day. Just as his face started twisting into a very angry snarl, Basil spoke again.

"Don't worry old fellow, I'll be more than happy to accompany you past the gates so you may enjoy your 'rendezvous' with the young lady. Good day." And he simply walked off.

Frollo stood there for a few seconds, with only one thought running through his head.

_If he hadn't just given me a way out of here, I'd have wrung his scrawny little rodent neck._

The rest of the week was one big waiting game, waiting for Friday to come, waiting for his shift to end, waiting for that set of modern clothes that was supposed to come two days ago, waiting for Anya's shift to be over, waiting for those three princess's to move their asses so the doorway is clear and no one will see him in these clothes, and finally waiting for that smug-ass detective to get his tail over to the gates.

At last his 'buddy' appeared from within one of the alleys.

"Sorry good sir, but unfortunately I'm not able to blend into an all human crowd as readily as you."

Frollo rolled his eyes.

"Are you ready to go, or no?"

"I'm perfectly ready."

Basil looked him over for a few very uncomfortable seconds, then said,

"That suits you."

"If you value your life, you'll stop talking."

Basil shrugged, smiled, and turned towards the guard who signaled them over to the exit. Once over the guard began the tired old 'regulations and liability lecture'.

"You two understand that when you exit the park you are representing the company and are expected to act accordingly and not draw un-needed attention…"

Both of them just waited till he stopped talking and said,

"Yes."

"Okay, here are your key cards, be back in six hours; now get your asses out of here."

Frollo took two steps past him, then heard the man go,

"Eh!"

He looked back.

"What?"

"I don't do that stupid speech every time man, just for newbie's; so don't worry, kay?"

Frollo put on a fake smile and waved, then headed out into the parking lot. Basil kept pace with him, both of them keeping a watch out for anyone getting too close in to eyeshot.

Anya was waiting not far off, wearing another pair of skinny black jeans and a top that looked like a cross between a ratty black vest and a tight thin shirt with quarter length sleeves. Next to her was another human girl with slightly longer black hair with bright red streaks and a tank top with a big union jack on it. Frollo watched as Basil went up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Just as they started walking away Basil spun back around, gave Frollo a happy shrug, then went off.

Anya wasn't sure the man in front of her was Claude. He had to wear modern clothes of course, and she was worried they'd give him the worst ensemble possible but apparently that was not the case.

He was wearing black dress shoes, black slacks, a snow-white button up shirt, a black vest and a dark felt fedora with a very wide brim. A naughty little grin crept onto Anya's face as she closed the distance between them. She grabbed his collar and pulled his face down to hers.

"You look very good. It actually makes you look a little younger."

"Thank you my dear."

Claude was a little distracted with all the tourists milling about and couldn't keep his eyes on her. Anya planted a little peck on his check.

"Stop worrying, no one recognizes you in these clothes, believe me. I had trouble recognizing you at first."

Claude smirked.

"You're sure of that."

Anya nodded, them led him off towards her car.

"Don't worry about anything, tonight is going to be absolutely wonderful."

Outside the area dominated by theme parks, Orlando is a quiet, small, average city. It's no exception from the usual bible thumping of the South sporting nearly as many churches as theme parks. But there are some places that fit comfortably in between conservative congregations and family themed fun.

One such place was the small indoor mall Anya took Claude to. She was right, in modern clothes no one thought to look twice at him. From a distance he looked like any normal person. He made sure though to keep his hat tipped over his face and was rather thankful that Anya was there.

Anyone who happened to notice him might think that he was simply admiring her. Before dinner Anya brought him to a rather trendy little store that had a history of doing quiet business with toons. The female manager quickly spotted Claude and ushered him into a more exclusive part of the store.

"Well," she said, "Always happy to serve your kind, but I've never seen you here before."

"He only arrived a few months ago." Said Anya. The manager nodded.

"What are your tastes sir?"

"Simple, clean, nothing gaudy or flamboyant." he said.

"Alright, not wanting many patterns then I suppose. Just easy to care for, easy to wear things?"

"Yes, but please; nothing to wanton."

She gave a confused look. Anya smiled awkwardly.

"Catholic." She shrugged.

The manager went off and picked up a few things for him to try. Mostly rather formal things, like pressed slacks, button shirts, and one suit. Anya also found a few soft but thin; light sweaters; and a couple of cotton t-shirts. Just as Claude was about ready to go, she brought in a pair of black, 'faded' gold-flecked jeans.

"I think you'll like these."

Claude reached out and took a feel of the material. _Ouch, how could these be at all comfortable?_

He shook his head.

"Just try them on."

"Anya, that material is far too rough…"

"Can't be any worse than untreated wool."

He sighed. She had a point. And these modern fabrics all seemed to be quiet smooth and soft. He grumbled something under his breath and snatched them from her. It felt weird to have such thick, stiff material so close to his skin; and it restricted his movements quiet a bit. Anya said he just had to break them in, once the fibers loosened it wouldn't be so bad. If just to prevent her going on and on, he added the jeans to the small stack of clothes for purchase.

80 dollars worth of new garments fit into one large bag, and they left the store. Anya looked at her watch and said they still had about an hour to kill before they're dinner reservation. As they wandered about, Claude noticed there were fewer people around for once and allowed himself to raise his head. This mall had huge plastic sky lights rather than sickly fluorescent lights and he watched the strange procession of colors as the sun set and the sky turned purple but still glowed a little orange.

He had asked Anya a while back why this was, and she explained that the clouds reflected light from city lamps back; making an urban area's sky fluoresce orange. He found it to be an ugly reminder of his surroundings.

"Claude, head down."

He brought his face back under the brim of the fedora just as another couple passed by. Thankfully they were to busy with each other to notice anything odd about him.

"Here it is."

Claude found himself in front of a very strange looking store, from which an odd booming was emanating. The entrance was circular and above it was written in red, 'Hot Topic'. In windows on either side were a few mannequins wearing clothes very similar to Anya's. This was obviously were she did most of her shopping.

"Why did we come here?"

"I thought you might like to take a look at some of the things in here."

He shook his head.

"Ah, give it a chance." She pouted.

"Anya, I'm putting my foot down. It's not in my tastes."

She growled a little.

"Anya, don't start. Trust me, when it comes to things like this; don't fight me. You will lose."

She rolled her eyes and gave in.

"Fine, we still have a lot of time though."

Claude looked about him and noticed another store called 'Afternoon'. She smiled and they headed in. 'Afternoon' was filled with the heady scent of incense, dimly lit, and filled with some of the oddest things he had ever seen. Anything that wasn't its natural color was black; anything that wasn't black was painted with some of the brightest colors he had ever seen. This was also not in his tastes, but Anya seemed delighted with it all.

She perused through the large selection of incense sticks, glossed over the many cat books, played with the a few of the dozens of mechanical toys, examined some of the whimsical wind chimes, and admired the many amusing proverb signs. She ended up getting several sticks of incense and one wind chime made of thin pieces of white stone.

Claude was glad to be out of that atmosphere and took a deep breath of fresh air, then cleared his throat.

"Well, my dear," he said, his voice a little scratchy, "I believe we have a reservation to keep."

She nodded happily and led him off to a restaurant nestled in a quiet, cozy corner of the mall.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Inside the restaurant was laden with deep rich browns and dark reds, and lit with soft yellow light bulbs and perhaps hundreds of candles. Nearly every bit of wooden décor on the walls was exquisitely carved into maple leaves and acorns, beech leaves, various herb leaves, fruits, and the faces and forms of the seasons and cherubs with instruments in hand. There was very little sound besides the murmur of voices and the dull thump of doors being opened or closed.

Anya had reserved a large booth set back into a wall to afford them as much privacy as possible. When the waiter came up Claude tried hide underneath his hat, till the man spoke in French, saying he knew who he was and wouldn't breath a word to anyone.

Claude looked up at him, and gave him a sly little smile. A little while later, Claude gave the waiter their orders in his own language and sat back on the thick velvet cushions. He heaved a sigh and turned to Anya.

"It feels so good to speak my language again."

Anya smiled and nuzzled up to him a bit.

"I feel that way when I talk to my parents, or when I go home in winter. My dad speaks English just fine, but my mom never got the hang of it. Her Russian is like none other though, it sounds like poetry when she speaks it. If I have a really bad day, I call her. It could be three in the morning, mom always talks to me in her Russian."

They didn't speak much more over dinner. They just enjoyed a few hours of quiet in which they could be alone together.

At about 11pm they left the restaurant and headed towards the car. Claude was not particularly happy to be going back to his dismal little suite beneath the park, but he had only asked for six hours and that was he could have. He did however have one hour left, and Anya used it to show him around Orlando a bit more. They stopped at one very pretty park.

There was a half moon out and there was plenty of light to see by. Anya walked bare foot, her small sandals dangling from her fingers. They came to a small pond that was so still it looked like a huge pane of glass in the pale light. For some reason the water made Claude think of memories of the few times he had ever been to the sea. It had always seemed cold and hostile then, but now the thought of waves lapping the beach was soothing.

Eventually they had to leave the peace of that little park behind and begin heading back to Disney World. As they headed back down the road they passed a tall, high scale looking apartment building. On its top floor a huge illuminated stained glass window could clearly be seen. It looked like a very good representation of the Rose Window and it intrigued Claude. He asked her what that building was.

"Actually that's where I live."

She pulled over to the shoulder.

"There, 15 stories up, your right side when facing east, second from the corner is my balcony."

Claude could just barley see the balcony, and the two huge chairs on it.

"How do you afford to live here? It looks like it's as lavish as could be."

"Yes, I couldn't afford this on my salary but my father pays the rent. I've told him that I don't need to live in that place, but he insists that he wants me somewhere he's sure I can be safe."

"What is the name of this building?"

"Le Grande Trion."

Anya put the car back into gear and pulled back onto the road. For some reason Claude could not bring his eyes away from the lit stained glass until it had faded from sight. When the clock on the castle tolled midnight Frollo was heading towards the entrance to the labyrinth, back to his little room. Anya's last kiss still warmed his lips, and he was sure that if he licked them he would taste her again.

Back in his suite he changed, threw the new clothes into a hamper, with the exception of the fedora which he simply put on one of his beside tables next to his usual hat. As he slipped into bed he replayed the day in his thoughts. He realized quickly that this taste of the outside world would grow into a hunger, just as had his lust for the gypsy. But unlike that lust he was not fighting this, going outside the park had been incredibly refreshing and liberating. And he also felt intrigued by the place that Anya lived, 'Le Grande Trion'. He wanted to see that building, see how this woman lived, but he was never going to ask. He felt it much more polite and honorable to wait for her invitation however long it may take to come. With that thought he drifted off to sleep.

That night dreams returned to him, but in the morning the only thing that stood out was the image of the Rose Window shining in the crown of the Grande Trion. Claude was anxious to go out again and spend even more time away with Anya. She was that only one he talked to about this, but it didn't take a genius detective to see the chemistry between them. And anyone could see who was going outside the park on the bulletin boards.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A strong, unwavering sense of right and wrong, in most situations this can count as a virtue. But when coupled with a brave and brash personality, it can become a bit of a defect.

Another perceived advantage in the park is the one attached to popular characters, particularly the 'princess's'. Though they are much loved by the masses, they have very little time to do little else but work the crowds as their popularity demands their presence in nearly every parade and appearance. But if they want to they can still find time to do something important.

La Esmeralda was counted among them though not of royal blood her popularity and gender afforded her a place in the highest echelon of the 'toon' hierarchy. She and Frollo shared only one thing in common now, though they would never know it. They both missed their home, their Paris very dearly, and went through unbearable pain when they were torn from it.

But unlike Frollo Esmeralda has not begun to explore this new world she had found herself in. She does not often speak to the humans and on some levels was still struggling to cope with the monumental change in her life. It only took the slightest nudge to push her into a rage, and seeing some innocent girl carousing about with that ugly old bigot was a little more than a nudge.

As one of the shorter days in the park wound down, Anya was in back tallying inventory for the store. She was about finished checking the t-shirts when she heard a knock on the back door. That door like most in commercial buildings only opened from the inside. Anya assumed it was one of her younger, block headed co-workers that forgot to prop the door open when they went outside. She opened the door.

"Geez Louise, how many times do you have to forget before you…"

Her words died out when she saw a raven haired, dark skinned gypsy standing before her. Anya recognized her immediately.

"La Esmeralda? What are you doing here? Don't you have to be in the Grand Parade?"

"I asked one of the actress's to fill in for me. May I speak with you?" Esmeralda made her face and voice as soft as possible. Anya looked behind her, located a wooden block and propped open the door, then stepped outside.

"For a few minutes."

Esmeralda took in a deep breath and put on a gentle smile.

"I have no doubt that you are an intelligent, independent, and kind girl." She said.

A very confused look grew on Anya's face.

"Thank…you?"

"But you're young, and obviously a little naïve as a result."

The confused look was swept away by one supreme annoyance.

"Ah, Claude."

Esmeralda's brow knitted a bit.

"Frollo, is not a good man. The last place any young girl like you should be is any where near him. He is a brutal, violent, cowardly man; and one of the most hateful and narrow minded people I have ever seen. And I have seen more than my share of hate."

Anya bristled a bit at these words, and felt her old Russian blood start to boil. But she contained it, exhaled and leaned against the wall and chose her words carefully.

"I understand." She said.

Esmeralda's smile widened.

"Then you'll…"

"I understand that that is your experience with him and thus you have no reason to think that he is anything else."

Now confusion spread across Esmeralda's face.

"But so far he has been a very different man with me. And until he proves otherwise or says otherwise I will continue to see him and pursue him as I wish."

The confusion and softness melted away from Esmeralda's dusky features, replaced by anger and fury. For a long while the too women stared each other down, one dark and intimidating, standing straight backed and proud, the other remained in a pose of relaxed defiance with arms crossed. Anya kept her stormy sea colored eyes locked on Esmeralda's emerald eyes.

Finally Esmeralda turned away and left in a huff, and Anya slipped back into the store to finish closing up. She was sure however that this was no where near the last she'd hear from the gypsy.

In the labyrinth, each suite has a phone. Claude had never used his, he never had reason to and did not want to. Tonight he was spending a quiet even alone at home consumed in one of his history books. He nearly jumped out of his skin when his quiet reverie was interrupted by a harsh electronic ringing. It took him a moment to realize it was his phone ringing. He picked it up, pressed the green button as he'd been told to do, and put it to his ear.

"Hello, hello? Are you there?"

He did not recognize this voice.

"Who are you?"

"Its me, Anya!"

Claude didn't believe it at first, but the light clicked on eventually and he recognized her though it took a few minutes of her yelling at him. Once he did recognize her they talked for some time, planned to meet in their Moonlight Grove, and they also discussed Anya's encounter with the gypsy.

"I agree with you, Esmeralda will not let this go lightly."

Claude sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I was worried something like this would happen. It can only get worse from here."

"What has she been like since coming here? I know you two are far from friends but…"

"I really have no idea Anya. We normally do everything in out power to avoid each other. But I do notice when she gets angry, you can hear her yelling from anywhere. And she's snapping easier and easier lately."

"That's to be expected. I think most toons are still grappling with some form of traumatic stress syndrome. But you're dealing with it quite well, considered."

Claude had nothing to say to that. He didn't want to say anything.

"Do you think she'll try to blow the horn on us?"

"Only among our kind, she doesn't trust the park administration any further than she could throw it." He said.

"That probably means things are going to be getting very hard for you."

"I know."

"Look, if you want to stop meeting up for awhile and let things cool down, I'd understand."

There was a very long pause. Finally Claude spoke.

" No, there would be little point. Once we began dating again the problems would return. Its better to do as we wish, since it harms none."

Anya's heart fluttered.

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes, take care."

Claude hung up the phone and sunk into his thoughts. A few words had almost spilled from his lips and it took quite a bit of will power to keep them inside. Anya was about all that was keeping him sane in this place, but he wasn't ready to tell her yet. He could not remember telling anyone in his life that they were a comfort to him, or that he deeply cared for them. Having never said these words before made it feel impossible to now. He wondered what compelled him to hold them back, pride? What did he have to be proud of? His home was stolen from him, along with his power and prestige, his faith was practically non existent since the move, and his virtue had already been soiled by the gypsy.

He began to embrace the idea that now was the time to begin building something else to be proud of.

Anya hadn't felt this happy in a very, very long time. She had offered Frollo the perfect out, an excuse to end the relationship and leave her behind. It had taken all of her courage to say those words and she felt like her heart was being crushed in a vice when she waiting for him to answer. But when he turned down the out she felt as if she could floated to the ceiling.

She could gladly tell herself she loved this man, but had decided not to say so to him for a while. She was still afraid of scaring him off and worried that he wasn't entirely ready to hear her say that. She was also worried about Esmeralda and what lengths she might go to get them apart. Then a thought occurred to her. One some level, a tiny part of that woman might be just a wee bit jealous.

Anya smirked at the thought. She settled into bed and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of many things, her home, her past, and her love.

Once they come into the human world, all 'toons' are given regular medical check ups. At his Frollo had learned he had very low blood pressure and circulation (accounting for his cold skin and low body temp) and he had also learned that a life time of bottling up every little thing and every single emotion had put a good deal of strain on his heart. The doctor had told simply to try to cut down on his stress and also urged him to start counseling.

Of course Frollo had never gone to the therapist. But his relationship with Anya was proving to be therapy enough. He did considerably better in his next uncomfortable visit to the doctor.

"Your heart rhythm sounds much better."

Frollo said nothing. The doctor had his ear up to his chest, even with that stethoscope jammed in it. That very cold metal stethoscope that would not warm up no matter how long it touched his skin. Finally the doctor took the instrument away and hung it back round his neck.

"Did you see that therapist I recommended?"

"Not really."

The doctor paid little heed to the answer and began writing on his chart.

"Blood pressure and temperature are still low, but that seems to be normal for you. Well, whatever you did to relax; it worked. I'm glad you found something to fill your time."

Frollo smiled a hint at that, then grabbed his shirt and robe, dressed and headed out.

He hadn't been able to stop the thoughts that had first appeared during Anya's phone call. New beginning, falling in love; it sounded nice no doubt but it also sounded like the corny ending to the same movies that landed him and every other Disney toon in this hell hole.

He found himself of two minds about in many ways. He felt it might be good to talk to Anya about this, but also felt that was the last thing he'd be capable of doing. Before he would indicate anything to her though, he would think every thing though very, very carefully.

Summer was winding to a close even in Florida. Many of the warm weather tourists were heading back home to school and jobs. Most of the park's business from now till next summer would be from those close enough to drive there, and from the holiday rushes. The lull in the work was a heavenly reprieve for all.

At last things moved a little slower, the grounds were a little quieter. Frollo still had to work around the main area for the first few hours of his shift, but he no longer had cling to a wall or a tree to avoid being trampled. The first few visitors now slowly ambled in, and slowly ambled back out at the end of their visit.

The easier days had quite the effect on him. His tightly wrung nerves began to unwind; and he found himself saying and doing things he may never have before. One particularly hot day he and Anya were spending a few minutes alone, and he was complaining that the heat and the fumes from his mask were making him nauseous again.

They weren't, he was more or less used to it, but he used it to get Anya to lift his mask off. The second it was off his face he pounced; he caught Anya in a deep, sweet kiss. The mask slipped out of her hands and fell to the ground. When he finally pulled back his arms were around her waist and hers were draped upon his shoulders.

Claude stared into those stormy sea eyes and felt some words knocking to get out, but still couldn't bring him self to say anything. Instead he escaped in another kiss which she gladly accepted. She had seen something flicker in his own eyes, and it made her heart dance in her chest. She only needed to be sweet and patient a little longer.

While Claude and Anya's romance continued to blossom under the autumn leaves, the slower days also allowed Esmeralda more time to do what she wished. She still wasn't at all happy about Frollo and the Russian girl dating, and was intent on getting them apart and perhaps sparing the young lady some pain. She just needed to figure out and effective way.

She had tried twisting the ample rumors about them hoping one of them would hear one or two and get carried away. It became very obvious very quickly that neither of the two lovebirds gave a flying rat's ass about rumors. She'd have to find some more direct means. But what?

Frollo's prediction about his hunger for the outside world proved right. He was longing to use the autumn lull to spend maybe 8 or even 12 hours outside with Anya. His only problem was the fact he'd more or less need a place to stay, and was down right scared to ask her if he might visit her home.

Basil found him leaning on the staff bulletin boards with his head hidden beneath his arms. He deduced what was troubling Frollo easily, though several other kept tossing the judge odd looks. Basil carefully approached him and tapped his shoulder. Frollo didn't move, it made Basil think he didn't feel it though the shoulder guard and went to tap his arm instead when Frollo spoke.

"Don't poke me again I know your there."

"Then why didn't you…"

"Because," Frollo lifted his head from the black curtains of his sleeves, "I am thinking, no agonizing over something very important and am not very happy to be interrupted."

Basil's smug grin began to creep on to his face.

"Oh for the love of heaven man, just ask her. She'll say yes."

Frollo scowled.

"I would ask you if you knew what your talking about but I know you'd waste your breathe and my time with a very long answer that proves you do."

Basil's grin widened.

"Well then, have you two agreed on a day yet?"

Later on, after they were off and the moon had risen, Claude took Anya on a stroll down they're Moonlight Boulevard. Her hand twined with his as they walked in relative silence. When they reached the grove, Anya turned her eyes towards the moon and looked at the leaves. They were already beginning to take on their golden and crimson fall colors, like dancers putting on their most lavish costumes for a royal masquerade.

Claude could not have cared less about the leaves. He could never figure out why Anya's eyes continued to fascinate him so. With moonlight shining right into them, they looked like the ethereal eyes of an angel, some majestic maiden descended from heaven. Finally she brought her eyes from the dancing leaves and back to him, though they still shimmered with sliver light.

Suddenly Claude's breath seized in his chest and his heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. Words were banging to get out, but they weren't words asking her out on another date. They were the words of a confession some tiny but powerful part of him would not let out. He stood there frozen in place fully aware of how idiotic he looked but unable to say anything. Anya tilted her head a bit and gave him a look that seemed to plead for him to say what was fighting to get out, but still couldn't.

"Claude."

He unfroze enough to swallow and see that his hands were shaking like those same leaves. She took his trembling hands into hers, and stepped into him and put her face against his chest.

"Its very hard to say anything isn't it."

He nodded, and felt a tiny bit of tension release to find she understood. He took in a deep breath.

"I know something wants to be heard. But it doesn't have to loud. It can be softer than a butterfly's breath. But it has to come out our you'll go mad."

Before she even finished speaking she felt his lips brush her ear. He was silent for a moment, then whispered a few words so softly she barely caught them. But as soon as he said them his trembling subsided and the constriction on his heart eased. Anya lifted her head once again catching the silvery light in her eyes. She beamed at him, and brought her face right up to his.

"I do too."

For the longest, most blissful of moments they stood under the moon's light, protected by the proud oaks, ignoring everything else but each other. They emerged from the trees a long while later, gave each other lingering good night kisses finally parted company. Claude walked home with legs that were about as stiff a pudding but with a heart that was beating as if he were only 20 again. He also left with an invitation from Anya to spend the night at her apartment, should he take those 12 hours. He had every intention of doing so.

His next off day was only three later, and once again he found himself waiting for Basil to come out of the alley so they could leave. Claude was wearing the jeans Anya had made him buy on their last excursion, along with one of the light sweaters, and of course the broad brimmed fedora. He was growing rather fond of that hat.

The day was unusually cool and Frollo relished it. While some of the other freeze baby toons were shivering he was perfectly comfortable and quite happy.

"I say old chap, that's and interesting ensemble."

Frollo turned around and saw Basil emerge from the alley, and held in his laughter with great effort. The poor fool was dressed in an outfit that was obviously from Hot Topic, all black, tight fitted pants, a double breasted but frayed jacket, and covered in sliver decorations. Frollo snorted and bit his finger.

"The kettle's calling the pot black, sir." He managed to squeak out.

Basil sneered.

"Jinxi happens to like this. And since I very much like her, I wear it."

Frollo doubled over barely containing his laughter.

"And unless I'm much mistaken, it the same thing with you and those jeans, no?"

Frollo cleared his throat and stood up, still snickering a little.

"Yes, but I at least have the spine to put my foot down when it comes to that." He pointed to Basil's outfit. Basil waved his hands in defeat.

"Whatever, lets go."

He headed off towards the gate.

"Don't take it personally, it just doesn't suit a mouse!"

"Shut it!"


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Anya met him outside once again, this time however she had not gotten the chance to go home and change. He was looking forward to seeing how she lived.

It only took about 15 minutes to reach Le Grande Trion; its façade was made of a faux marble finish with reproductions of sculptures from the Versailles Palace, and the resemblance did not stop with there. The lobby was styled after the great hall of mirrors, with tall windows letting in huge amounts of sunlight that bounced off of equally huge mirrors filling the entire room with blinding light.

Unlike the noisy, jerky elevators in the labyrinth of the park this building's were very spacious, smooth and almost completely silent. It took little time to reach the 15th floor, then even less to get to Anya's white and gold door, number 1532.

"Well," she said as she opened it, "this is it."

Anya's apartment had a very warm and appealing feel. The whole building avoided the usual square angles and outmoded fashions one usually associates with apartments. The walls curved into one another rather than simply detonating that allowed the entire space to fell like one whole. The front hall lead to a huge living area connected to a small kitchen set a step above a tiled dining area. The hall also kept running to a large wooden door at the end that led to the bedroom, a few feet before that door was the main bathroom.

Her choice of décor for this inviting space was very eclectic, she had one very big couch made from pine logs that sported cushions that looked like they would swallow you if you sat in them. One either side of the couch were two huge round chairs made from a dark, woven wicker and also covered with large, thick cushions.

The coffee table was a very sturdy but odd-looking thing. It was cut from one tree, the un-carved stump of which was used as the base, the top of the table being a pane of glass.

All around the walls were various pieces of art, mostly colorful prints and paintings, but alongside them were little metal sculptures, a few pieces of curious wood carvings that depicted skeletons playing in bands and dancing. Claude took a close look at these and muttered 'Dance Macabre'.

Anya's dining furniture were also made of light pine, the table top was covered by patterned tiles, and the chairs, once again had no lack of cushioning. Indeed, every bit of her décor was geared towards comfort. Blankets and pillows were strewn on all the chairs and the couch, a few huge pillows even occupied the floor. Nearly all the colors were warm, and brought everything closer to you and made you feel rather safe.

Anya did have quite a few modern technologies, set opposite from the couch was a small TV, connected to a cable box, a VCR player, and one Playstation 2. A soft chiming caught Claude's ear and he wandered out through an open door onto the balcony. Outside were the two patio chairs he had seen before, along with and small table, and the stone wind chime she had bought at 'The Afternoon' on their date.

He gently touched the chime, and listened to its sweet notes, then went back inside. He could hear Anya opening and closing drawers in the bedroom, and just out of curiosity ventured into the bathroom. He turned on the light and found it to not nearly as decorated as the rest of the apartment.

A few sea themed things occupied various places, then Claude lifted his gaze and froze. Hanging on the bathroom walls were two life sized, naked male torsos molded from clay. Opposite the mirror was one showing the male from the front, from neck to thighs, posed as if he were leaping about. Above the toilet was another one, showing him from the back, with the addition of a little devil's tail snaking down his legs.

Claude left that room very quickly and tried to erase the memory. Why in god's name would Anya put something like that in her bathroom? Claude braced himself on the pass through of her kitchen, then looked up to another one, a female, with lace like patterns running over her skin. Claude groaned and turned around with a hand on his face.

"Something wrong?"

He moved his hand and saw Anya in front of him, wearing a long ruffled white skirt, white tank top, and a small, crinkled white button up over it. She looked like a young virgin ready for mass.

Claude smiled and embraced her.

"Nothing." He said, "Let's go."

"Alright."

Anya put on her purse, led him back out and locked the door. They left the Grande Trion and after some discussion settled on having dinner at a very small out of the way place. It was usually very quiet there, even being near an outdoor concert hall. Tonight was not the case, a British punk rocker band was playing there tonight, which Anya was not aware of, and the restaurant like many others near by was swamped with customers that were attending the concert.

Claude was worried about going into a place with this many people so close together, until he spotted a very familiar face sitting on one of the booths in the back. He tapped Anya's shoulder as she was trying communicate with the hostess over the din. He pointed to the booth, she nodded, pulled the hostess and in and whispered (more or less) in her ear. She looked at Claude, winked, and led them over to the booth were Basil and Jinxi were sitting.

"I hope you don't mind sharing." Said the hostess.

Basil's smile grew when he saw who was approaching through the crowd.

"Not at all."

As Claude and Anya made it to the table Basil stood.

"Monsieur Frollo, Miss Romanov, a pleasure to see you both."

"Hello Basil, hi Jinxi." said Anya

"Monsieur, I don't think you've had the pleasure of meeting my date, her real name is Emily but she prefers…"

"Jinxi." She lifted her hand. Claude took it and placed a polite kiss upon it. She smiled.

"Not what I was expecting but alright."

"Your from London I presume." said Claude.

"That's right."

Anya and Claude got themselves settled in.

"So, I had no idea there was a concert tonight, whose playing?"

"Chumbawumba." said Jinxi.

"Then I can see why so many people are out here." She looked around the room.

"Are you joking? I'm surprised there aren't more." Said Jinxi.

Claude chuckled.

"So this is what she had you dress up for, eh Basil."

Basil made the 'zip it' sign and put his smile back on.

"What are you talking about? He looks gorgeous."

Jinxi played with one of the lapels on his coat and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"You know," said Anya, "I have been wondering how you two met. You don't work at the park like I do."

Jinxi laughed a little.

"Completely random encounter, I got a little turned around and ended up wandering in one of the alley ways and ran into him. I thought he was an actor, till I noticed his tail moved."

Basil's smile became an embarrassed one.

"I was intrigued, I asked him out. Took a couple of tries, but eventually he gave in. I told him he wouldn't regret it."

Basil looked at Claude and shrugged. Claude smiled a bit himself. These two men were in pretty much the same circumstance when it came to their women. The two couples found quite a bit to talk about over the course of dinner, and after the bills were paid they parted ways, Basil and Jinxi headed across the street towards the concert that was beginning to get underway, and Claude and Anya went back to the car. They waited a few minutes for the rest of the concert goers to finish milling into the park.

"Well, its 8:45, you don't have t be back till 6am, what do you want to do?"

Claude looked up at the night sky. Though the last rays of orange could still be seen staining one end of the horizon, tall dark clouds were moving in from the other. Claude could see the palm fronds being blown about by the strong wind. Anya noticed them too.

"Well, I hope most of those people brought umbrellas or something."

She took another look at the people making their way into the park.

"But I doubt it."

A clap of thunder came rolling across the sky, and far off was the flash of lightning.

"Why don't we just go home?"

Claude nodded and Anya started the car and put it into gear. Once home she went to change yet again, and Claude went back out on the balcony. The storm had almost arrived; he could smell the rain; the thunder was growing louder with every second. The little wind chime sounded as if it was panicking in the strong wind.

"Claude, dear, could you close the door please?"

He turned around and found himself caught in another tense moment with her, neither one of them was sure what to do next. A loud, violent crack of lightning broke the tension, Anya nearly jumped out of her skin; she looked out the window at the storm bearing down on them. Claude put his hands on her shoulders. She was trembling a bit, but he was as still as stone. Another crack and she jumped again; he came in closer and wrapped his arms around her completely.

"Are you afraid of storms?" he asked.

"Just lightning."

"There's nothing to fear. Lightning passes the quickest."

Yet more flashes, cracks and booms and the storm was upon them, rain began to pelt the windows.

"I've always loved the storms. They wash away all the filth and stains and leave everything clean and pure."

"They're also dangerous." She said.

"They're only as dangerous as you make them to be. Don't worry, we're together tonight, by morning it'll all be over."

The two of them sat on the couch for several hours, holding each other and listening to the rain. At about midnight he got into bed with her. He kept her in his arms did no more than that. He was well aware of the position he was in, and could clearly hear his base instincts calling out for more. He did not give in beyond holding her tight and placing a few heated kisses on her neck and shoulders. It was hard not to do more though, and sleep found him long after it found her.

Claude awoke perhaps an hour before sunrise. The twilight was releasing the sky from the storm's dark hold, heralding the approach of the sun. It wasn't the dim light that woke him, it was the feeling of a weight lying on his chest and middle, a pair of arms wrapped around his body, and lush lips pressed firmly against his.

It was a moment or two before his mind registered what was going on, but once it did his eyes shot open and he immediately tried to pry her off of him. She responded by tightening her grip and forcing the kiss deeper. Claude struggled for only a few more seconds before his strength left him.

He was miles from the park, no one could see or hear them, and they still had some time before he had to return. Why not indulge?

He put one arm around her tiny waist and buried his other hand in her silken hair. It felt wonderful, and he happily lost himself in this experience, till he felt her hand begin work its way south.

He jumped and managed to free his mouth.

"No, Anya no."

She grunted and her shoulders slumped.

"Why not? Why not have a little fun?"

"Because…" he tried to find words, but gave up and let his head fall back on the pillow. She seemed to take this as an act of submission from him and tried to restart her ministrations. He grabbed her wrist and held it so tight it cut off the circulation.

"Ow, okay; okay. I give up."

He slowly released her arm. She brought her hand back up and rubbed her wrist.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I thought you might be ready."

He shook his head.

"Well, what's in the way?"

He sighed and turned over.

"You have no idea."

She remained silent for a brief moment, then crawled onto his side and put an arm around him.

"Can you give me a clue?" she said softly.

Claude started to say something, then stopped.

"I can probably guess what part of it might be."

He scoffed.

"Esmeralda."

Claude flinched. He still remembered full well the night after the Feast of Fools. Without a doubt it was the worst night of his life.

"Good guess." He said.

"But she's not the only part of this, is she? Your also fighting a lifetime's worth of repression here."

A sad smile came to Claude's face. She was right about that too. His entire life, sex had been taboo. It was never spoken of in his house, and it wasn't even really explained to him until he was well into his studies at university. Most members of his family went into service with the church. He hadn't officially but in all other matters he was more a priest than a judge.

And yet here he was laying in bed with a very young, beautiful, kind, warm woman whom he loved dearly who was more than willing to let him have his way with her. But he wasn't willing to do that, not yet any way.

Eventually Claude turned back around and hugged her, apologizing for disappointing her. She told him that it was fine, to take his time.

At about 5:45 am they arrived back in Disney World's parking lot. Neither one of them was well slept and they were both rubbing sleep from they're eyes.

"Do you have to work today?" Anya said through a big yawn.

"Late shift, clocking in at about 3pm." Claude paused to stretch. " I have to appear in the Grand Parade, then at a show after that, then at the fireworks show."

"Lovely."

Claude was about to say goodbye and open the door her felt her hands grab his shoulders.

"C'mere."

She pulled him back to give him a deep, powerful kiss. Before he knew what he was doing his own arms were tight around her and he was returning the kiss with fervor to match. Finally they parted; he felt his hands trembling a bit.

"Thank you."

"Just a little something good for you to think about tonight."

"Thank you again, I'll need it."

He pecked her lips again and climbed out of the car, said goodbye, and went back into that placed that passed for a home.

Normally he simply would have gone straight to bed with a long shift coming up but that kiss had left him with a heat churning in the pit of his stomach. Since it was still early and most everyone was working that same set, he figured the showers would still be empty and went to cool down.

It didn't help all that much. No matter how cold the water got, those coals that Anya had breathed heat into were not going out. All he might be able to do is throw some ash on them and try to keep them from growing. Frollo had long since learned the meaning of the phrase 'the fire which seems out often sleeps beneath the cinders'. Little did he know he was about get the reminder of a lifetime.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Occam's razor. The theory stating that the most simple answer is most often the correct one. Esmeralda had never heard of Occam's razor but she was still familiar with the principle. She had thought elaborate schemes all designed to show the little Russian Frollo's true colors. Her husband however; happened to be very good at playing devil's advocate and easily shot them all down.

Then while lying in bed it hit her. It would be a simple matter to prove what kind of man Frollo really was. The only thing wrong was it would require her to do something so disgusting and demeaning that she'd rather cut off a finger or two than do it. But another young girl's heart was at stake, and she resolved herself to do this. _The fire which seems out often sleeps beneath the cinders._

That night was as long, boring, and draining as Frollo expected it to be. Thoughts of Anya's kiss helped a little, they helped even more when he finally got to go to bed. Next morning he made a point of getting something to eat before starting work since he had eaten only once the day before. He was waiting for one of the toasters to be freed up when he felt someone touch his shoulder.

Thinking it was Anya he turned about with a smile on his face. That smile died instantly when he saw a swarthy skinned; emerald eyed witch instead of his little Russian flower.

"What do you want?" he growled.

"I just would like to speak with you later, when you have the chance."

Esmeralda had an expression of innocence, but Frollo saw straight through it. His old temper started to flare up but he also felt a distinctive sinking in his gut. Whatever she was planning was not going to be good.

"Fine." He waved her away.

Frollo took his sweet time with breakfast. He could only stall for so long though and there was only one way in and out of the break room/cafeteria. As he was expecting Esmeralda was waiting for him outside, any innocence in her expression gone. Frollo took in a deep breath and let his face take on its usual, holier-than-thou look.

"And what exactly did you want? Speak quickly, I have little time for this."

"Don't you have a little time to talk about Paris?" she asked coyly.

"Paris? That's what you bothered me for?"

"Yes," she began to move in, "Paris."

The closer she got the more a grimace grew on his face.

"What about it?"

"I want to start putting the past behind me. The only common ground we have is our love for that city."

"Why do you care what common ground we have?" Frollo began backing away from her, but she did not stop moving in.

"Because I want to start a new, let old wounds heal and be forgotten. Don't you agree?"

"To a point." He said carefully.

"I remember what you said in the cathedral. How you acted. Do you really have any ill feelings towards me?"

Frollo found himself pinned against the wall with her no more than a few centimeters away. Though he looked angry he wanted nothing more than to get away before those coals roared back into the hellish flames. Esmeralda seemed to sense this. She brought her lips so close to him they nearly kissed the end of his nose. Frollo snarled and pushed her face away.

"I could not care less about old grudges between us. Those were things of that world, a world we will never see again. As far I see it, we have no reason to speak to one another."

He began to march away.

"Then you do not see very far, sir."

He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Heh, this is about Anya isn't it?"

"That's right," she folded her arms, "she's too young for you to string along. Stop seeing her and let her get on with her life."

Frollo was silent for a moment, then she heard him snicker and burst out laughing. He turned and spoke though his laughter.

"You think I'm stringing her along? She pursued me! She convinced me to date her, she made me fall in love with her!"

"Fall in love? You think you love her?"

Frollo stopped laughing but kept smiling.

"I don't think I love her, I know I do. And it is not an unrequited love, not at all."

Esmeralda stood dumbfounded. Frollo had the knife in, now he took the chance to twist it.

"I thank you for doing this. I was worried whatever pubescent emotion you stirred was still clinging to me. This is not the case. Good day, La Esmeralda. I would wish you well, but I'm quite certain that this revelation will eat you alive."

Frollo walked off. Once he was out of eyeshot the gypsy took her frustrations out on a garbage can. He however was not out of earshot and though it gave him great pleasure to her the bang and accompanying yelp of pain, it didn't quell the confusion in him. He had bluffed when he said his feelings for her, however base, might be gone. He really didn't know if they were or not and was very worried what this might do to his fledging relationship.

The next weeks were an agony. Claude saw Anya only rarely; most of their contact was limited to occasional phone conversations. He was avoiding her, she knew it, and he knew that she did. He could not get that encounter with the gypsy out of his head. When not working or otherwise required to be outside, he sequestered himself in his suite constantly thinking about what these two women had done to him.

If he tried not to think about the gypsy she invaded his mind completely, but it took everything he had to get Anya to fill his mind. He had cursed himself before for being drawn to the swarthy woman, now doubly so since there was another who he thought had his heart. Anya was sweet, young, and so very kind, she did not deserve this. He could feel that red hot rack that he had been stretched upon before begin to claim him again. No amount of ash would smother these coals. Eventually he came to a conclusion. He had fought the flame before only to be consumed by it. Perhaps this time if he simply waded into it; it would burn itself out.

So with a great effort, he shut down the defenses he had honed for a lifetime and invited the fire to feast on him. He waited to feel the waves of heat over his skin, the vice clench his heart, he waited to feel all those old hallmarks of lust claim him again.

Only nothing happened. The knots in his muscles eased out and the headache he'd been suffering from for days lessened. He felt nothing. He thought of everything about the gypsy, her emerald eyes, her raven hair, her cocoa skin, her supple limbs, even her swelling bosom and wanton movements when she danced, there was nothing. He was amazed. All that worry and concern, for nothing? Had the predator truly lost its teeth?

Claude stood up from his chair and went to his puny half bath and ran the sink. The sound of the running water snapped his mind back to when he had first seen Anya in the showers, soaked to the bone and not wearing one stitch. Now those old coals really roared to life. It was the memory of her ample curves and pale skin that made him feel that heat. Claude stopped the water. His breathing was heavy; images of his woman came to his eyes. They didn't race by, they played in slow motion and he noticed things he had never seen before. He never realized how well her work slacks hugged her legs and hips, or how that ruffled white skirt made her so tasty he wanted to take a bite.

That churning heat she had awakened when she last kissed him spread through his whole body, and unlike the frightening fire the gypsy had given him, this felt damn good.

It is truly amazing how quickly a person's imagination can run away with them. By the time Claude had this little epiphany, Anya was convinced he was giving her the cold shoulder because she had pushed him to hard and a break up was inevitable. She had spent the last few days consoling herself and readying her rusted emotional armor.

As she was leaving the store to head home she felt and looked like she was living in a fog. She had almost no energy as it was, and this day had sapped all that was left. Anya found herself standing in front of the bench she and Claude used to meet at. She sat down and the memories washed over her. The sound of a twig snapping behind her startled her out of her daze. She turned around just in time to see someone moving through the trees, moving down the Sunlight Boulevard, moving towards the Sunlight Grove. Once the moon rose it would become the Moonlight Grove, and their sanctuary would be defiled.

Anya's depression lifted momentarily and was replaced by rage. Her strength returned to her and she sprang off the bench, ripped through the bushes and ran down the Sunlit Boulevard. The intruder was far ahead of her, running at full tilt. Anya channeled all of her fury and frustration into her muscles and managed to get enough speed to close some distance on them.

It was definitely a man she was chasing wearing modern clothes, holding a hat on his head as he ran. Just as she caught up to him, he made a hard right and entered the Sunlight Grove. Another burst of fury propelled Anya into the grove. She came barreling around the corner and before she knew what was happening the man caught her around the waist, used her momentum to turn her around, dipped her, and planted a long, deep kiss on her.

Anya was in shock for the first few second, then her senses and her outrage returned to her and she started hitting any part of him within reach. The man broke the kiss and started stroking her hair and whispering in her ear. His voice broke through the haze around her brain, and she stopped lashing out.

"Claude?"

She finally saw his face. It was Claude. Though one wouldn't know him at first sight. It wasn't the suit with the un-tucked shirt or the jacket hanging open, it was his face. He was beaming ear to ear not with any cynicism but with pure joy. His eyes were sparkling and his skin was flush with color and warm to the touch.

"My God, Claude, oh bozhe, what has happened to you."

If at possible Claude's smile grew wider. He lifted her out of the dip and up into the air.

"Something absolutely wonderful!"

"Um, Claude could you please put me down, this is lovely but I'm getting a little nauseous."

"Oh."

He slowly lowered her and let her feet touch the ground. Once her equilibrium was back, he threw his arms around her again. This time Anya happily returned his embrace.

"Claude, tell me what happened to you, you avoided me for so long I was worried you'd leave."

"I know, I'm sorry my dear. Something happened that confused me and I didn't want to hurt you. But I assure you, I'm fine now and I love you more than ever."

Claude gave her another squeeze then pulled back just far enough to face her.

"I will tell you everything, my sweet, but not now. Go home, freshen up. I'll be there in an hour."

"Al-alright. But how will you get there?"

"Well I'll just say I owe Basil and Jinxi a small favor now."

For the first time in weeks Anya laughed a little, and Claude gave her one more big squeeze before letting her go home.

Frollo could have gone straight to Anya's apartment but allowed her some time to herself. She certainly wasn't going to get much more for the next 24 hours, and he did have a few things to catch up on. He had just finished his errands and was on his way out when he saw La Esmeralda in the hall.

She was walking towards him with great intent, so much intent that it looked as if she might slug him as soon as he got close enough. Frollo simply continued to smile, and continued to walk.

"Well, well if it isn't just the bigoted old coot I was…"

"Better finish that thought quickly, I'm not breaking my gait."

Frollo brushed right passed her as promised. She stopped to turn, he kept going.

"Hey, hey! I have something to say to you!"

"Too late!"

He waved and rounded the corner. Once again an innocent trash can bore the brunt of her fury.

Once Anya was home she jumped straight into the shower to calm her nerves. It worked, till she left the bathroom. Then she felt like a hummingbird on 17 shots of espresso. She was thrilled there was no longer a break up looming over her but was also nervous about what Claude was planning, and how long he planned to stay. She was even more nervous about what he was going to tell her.

She was so nervous she started and forgot about at least twenty little chores. She'd been wiping down the same spot of counter for a couple minutes when she heard the buzzer. She let Claude enter and paced in the entry way for the few tense seconds while he was making his way up. After what felt like and eternity she heard his knock. Once the door was open wide enough Claude flew in and caught her again. He closed the door and held her close, and felt her heart beating like a jackhammer through her chest.

"Anya, what's the matter, your heart…"

"Oh, nothing I was just…a little…nervous."

She noticed where his hand was situated. Her heartbeat was not the only thing he could feel. She was shocked; two weeks ago he would never have touched her like that. Claude moved his hand then led her a further into the apartment.

"You remember a while back; when Esmeralda paid you a visit at work?"

"Yes I remember very well. She wanted me to stop seeing you." She said.

"She paid me a similar visit two weeks ago. She pulled old strings."

Things began to click into place for Anya.

"She thought you still had feelings for her, used her looks, tried to raise a little doubt about us."

"She tried to raise much more than a little doubt. And for a while she succeeded."

"But?"

"But…comes later. After some time I simply wanted it to be over with. I tried to let down my guard and let it take me, hoping it would wear away soon and I would free. But…I already was. Nothing happened when I thought about her. I only felt something when I thought about you.

Yes I lusted after that gypsy but I was as much afraid of her as in lust with her. When I see your there is no fear, there is no fire. There is only light and warmth, she was my succubus, you are my saint. Anya, I love you, and tonight I will prove it."

Anya gasped. She could barely grasp what she was hearing.

"Wait, don't you have to return in a few hours?"

"No, not for a full 24."

"24? You must have used up all of your points!"

"Actually no, I could have made it 48 if I wanted to."

She was about to say something more when Claude silenced her with another deep kiss. Anya let go of her questions and returned it, enjoying the feel of his warm hands straying over her instead of being locked at her neck or her back. She broke away form his lips and just to test him, started kissing his neck. He moaned a little and tipped his head back to expose more of it. His fedora fell off and landed on the carpet with scarcely a sound.

She brought her lips away from his neck and he seized the opportunity to devour hers. It felt wonderful, but she could feel his inexperience. He was gnawing just a little to hard. She made him stop, and whispered in his ear.

"No, love. Like this."

Her lush lips returned to his neck and this time she gently worked the flesh; leaving a small love bite and giving him a zing he had never felt before. They paused for a moment; breathing heavily. He gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, I haven't done anything like this in a long time, and even then…"

"Don't worry, there's not much to it. Your instinct already knows. Just let your mind go and your body will follow."

Claude's hands trembled just a bit at that. He leaned back in, kissed her again, and worked his way back to her neck. This time he much gentler and left several marks on her pale skin. He quickly found that a male's face seemed to be made to fit in the space between a female's neck and shoulder, and while he was discovering that his hands knew no bounds. For a brief moment Anya was coherent enough to realize that this man had her pinned against the wall, was dining of her neck with one hand caressing her breast and the other resting between her legs. And hers were still on his shoulders.

She let her hand drop, and hesitated at his hip. He pulled away from her neck and met her gaze. He was about to push her hand the rest of the way when he felt her on him. God, it felt good, but he wasn't at all used to the sensation. He squeezed his eyes shut and his knees grew a little weaker, he forced himself to stay on his feet. Whatever distance was left between them he quickly closed. He caught her mouth in yet another powerful kiss. The next thing he knew they were completely locked together with her legs almost wrapped around his waist, one of his holding her up, and their hips grinding together like two gears in desperate need of oil.

Anya let her legs down and led him by the kiss into the bedroom. Yes, Claude was inexperienced and it made for a few awkward moments, but like any newcomer to the world of sexuality he was quick to learn. He was also gentle, enthusiastic, and warm, he was perhaps the best lover any woman could have had.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next morning Anya slowly awakened with the mid morning sun shining right in her eyes. She turned her head into the pillow and adjusted herself a bit. She felt someone behind her move, and remembered. The previous night had been long and exhausting but worth every second of every encounter they had.

Claude was lying behind her and had his arm thrown over her and one leg in between both of hers. Anya snuggled a little closer to him, gave his hand and his leg a squeeze. This began to wake him up, and the sun must have been right in his eyes too because the first thing she heard from him was a grunt. He buried his face in her hair to get away from the blinding light. Her hair smelled wonderful, like the stall of the rare spice vendor in the Parisian market. The two of them laid there for at least half an hour only partially awake, enjoying being so close to one another.

Then Claude moved out of the spooning and off the bed. He grabbed a towel and wrapped that around his waist, and headed into the bathroom. The next thing Anya heard was a blood-curdling scream. She jumped straight out of the bed and practically fell into the bathroom. Claude was lying on the tiled floor breathing as if he had just sprinted 5 miles.

"Claude, what is wrong?"

He looked at her, gasped; and pointed straight at his face. Anya went from scared shitless to completely confused.

"What?"

"Wh…look!"

Now she saw it. His cheeks had filled out, his hair was thicker and darker, and the circles around his eyes were gone. The change wasn't limited to his face; his body was more built and healthy looking.

"What in the world, you look at least twenty years younger."

Claude picked himself up off the floor.

"I'm aware of that."

He braced himself on the vanity and looked in the mirror.

"How on God's good earth did this happen?" he said.

Anya was usually good at finding an answer in a dark place but in this case, she was fumbling around in a haunted corn maze at midnight on this one.

"Um well…ah, let's see. This never happened before?"

"NO!"

"Okay, okay, okay calm down. Alright, wait I remember now, in the beginning of the movie you looked like this."

"Yes. Because that part took place twenty years ago."

"I know." She started at him for a moment. Then the light went on.

"You know, I think it because we made love…"

"What? What does That have to do with it?"

Anya gestured for him to wait and walked out to the bedroom and put on her robe. It was only then he realized she'd been naked the entire time, and promptly felt his cheeks heat up. From the bedroom Anya began to explain.

"Didn't they give you a longevity test when you came to this world?"

"Longevity test?"

"It was the one that asked you all the questions about your family background and your health habits." She said.

"Oh that one. Yes, why?"

"Well," she came back to the bathroom door, "one of the first questions on there should have been 'approximately how many times a week do you have sex'?"

Claude coughed.

"Why would a person's…sex life have an effect on their longevity?"

"Well if you had read the explanation beneath the question you would have learned that regular sex with a loving partner has been scientifically proven to extend your life."

Claude opened his mouth but before he could say anything, she came into the room and continued explaining the many good effects of sexual intercourse on the human body. As she was talking he started backing up, trying to get away from this sudden and explicit revealing of the thing that he had avoided his entire life until last night. It was at this moment that he realized that while he had be ready to experience it, he was not quite as ready to learn everything about it. His back hit the shower curtain, which was the end of the space he could retreat through. On top of that the tiny amount of friction of terry against shower curtain was just enough to cause the weak knot in the towel to come undone.

He felt the terry cloth start slipping down his hips, grabbed it with one hand before it got too low, and shushed her with the other.

"Darling, I think that's enough for now. Now, could we please ignore this," he gestured around his face, "and get one with our day alone?"

Anya smiled mischievously, went around him and started the shower and removed her robe. Claude averted his eyes as she climbed in; a bad idea he soon found out because once she was in, she reached out, snatched away his towel and practically dragged him in.

The rest of day was not nearly so awkward. The two of them spent most of the day in the living room, doing everything from talking about whatever came to mind, leafing through some of Anya's history books to win a little argument or two about some facts, and watching the news poking fun at women with extensive plastic surgery, the latest verbal blunders of politicians, and best of all the pulpit pounding preacher who had been exposed in an extra marital affair.

99 percent of this time, they were never more than a few inches away from each other, if they were away at all. Claude felt that he had never been so at peace in his life. All the weight and stress that had been pressing down on him was lifted. The feeling was so permeable that he could swear that his lungs held more air and his heart had more room to beat. There was absolutely no denying how happy this woman made him.

Anya wasn't having such a bad time herself. She practically purred whenever he held her or touched her, and every time she did he'd crack a smile. A day to do nothing whatsoever with your lover, what could be better? Sadly though, that hours whiled away and Claude's 24 were soon gone. At 5:30 they left the apartment. As they rode the elevator Anya took in Claude's face. He still looked young, but she could see some of his deeper wrinkles beginning to re-appear. He felt her eyes on him and turned his head. She didn't look away, instead she lifted her hand and o-so-gently traced the lines of his face.

The door opened and Anya brought her hand away. If she had somehow been able to direct the car without having to watch the road or hold the wheel, she'd have been in his arms the whole way to the park. She made up for that by giving him a very long, very deep, very sensual kiss. When she finally pulled back a bit she kept her eyes locked on his face. He was still fairly young and his skin was still flush with color. He still wore a blissful smile and his eyes practically shone in the dimming light. More kisses ensued, till with only a few minutes to spare he climbed out of the car and walked towards the gate.

It rained that night, not a thunderstorm but still a heavy torrent. Anya listened to the sound of the millions of drops landing on the windows and walls, and reveled in the fact that not so far away the man she loved was listening to the same thing. Claude was leaning in an open doorway in the castle. The park was abandoned in the rainy night, and he watched the drops land on the ground and on the leaves of trees. He had never been bothered by rain, and walked out into the downpour completely open to the feeling of the raindrops landing on him.

He couldn't quite explain it, but he could swear he heard Anya's name and voice with every drop. The thought that she was listening to the same thing made him smile once more.

The rain makes music as it falls, and miles apart two lovers dance as if they were mere inches away. The sound of falling rain catches the ear of the gypsy woman. Esmeralda emerges in the doorway to see Frollo out in the downpour dancing with no one, but looking like a man completely smitten, deep in love. She slapped her face and peered out from between her fingers. He was gone, and that girl probably was too.

There wasn't much more she could do about it. She got a good look at his face and saw that he was younger. She smirked at little and shook her head. Love had always had strange effects on their kind. She knew however that although these two might be happy now, they were only getting to the darkest part of the woods. A relationship like this didn't have a snowball's chance in hell at survival. But she wasn't going to rub that in their faces; she'd rather sit back and let events unfold. Besides, these two probably needed something like this. Before Frollo ever noticed her, she slipped away from the door and disappeared back to the labyrinth beneath.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

How many writers have written of forbidden love? Far more than this one cares to count. Its irresistible allure is universally acknowledged; no matter the culture or era; whether your reading it, watching it; making fun of it; or engaging in it; forbidden love draws you in without fail. And, when one is engaged in it, the fact that this affair, this emotion should not be shared between one and one's lover seems to make the emotion all the stronger, and the lovers even more passionate.

In the oft humorous case that these lovers aren't really in love, but carrying on the affair to piss of those who otherwise control their lives, once this element of danger and drama is taken away, the passion evaporates. However, the loved shared by Claude Frollo and Anya Romanov was something that one could almost say was meant to be. It was real and deep, but without seeing the two of them when they're together and alone it was rather a difficult fact to ascertain. Unfortunately seeing them when they were together and alone was also very difficult as Frollo always made sure they were actually alone when they were together.

Anya had begun signing up for earlier shifts under the pretense that she wanted to get her sleep cycle back to something more normal. Really it gave her an excuse to skip a shower at home, come very early, and get to the showers in the labyrinth were she and Claude had first met. But instead of getting angry or blindfolding himself with his own sash, he was considerably more playful. You might not think at first, but when he wants to Claude can move like a cat; lightening his footsteps till he makes almost no noise at all.

Anya was never sure of when he entered the restroom until red silk would obscure her vision. Claude would secure the sash over her eyes; hug her close for a bit, then remove whatever clothing either of them had on and practically carry her into the showers. Just before they hit the hot water he'd pull off the sash. They always had a little discussion over whether they should lather up now or wait till after. It didn't matter really, either he'd get too frisky to wait or the sight and smell and feel of her curvaceous, wet, soapy body would drive him over the edge. One of the things he liked best about these early morning showers was how amazingly good it felt to have her legs wrapped around his waist, no matter how hard that was to do when wet.

Even though they only had these trysts in the very early morning and hadn't been walked in on yet, both of them went on high alert whenever the slightest suspicious noise reached their ears. This morning a very distinct bang from the restroom door brought them back to reality with a vengeance. Unfortunately for them there was nothing about the position they were in that would allow anyone to who saw them to assume anything else was happening. For just a moment they were frozen in place, Anya looked like some virginal sacrifice with her breath still caught in her bare chest and pure terror on her lovely face. Claude came to his senses a few long milliseconds later, let her down, turned off the shower, and quietly put a towel around her. He motioned for her to stay quiet and put on a robe before composing himself and stepping out into the restroom.

Standing by the sinks, waiting for him to come out, was Benjamin Flagg, though no one called him by first name. Behind his back most called him 'Colonel' Flagg after the tight fisted, red scared, so-stoic-its-borderline-masochism CIA colonel of the same name in M*A*S*H. The nickname suited him, a patriotic southern good old boy he was one of the highest ups in the park's administration and just loved to throw the book at all of his employees. He liked to act as if everything he did was vital importance much like his nickname's sake. And as if that were not bad enough, he was none too fond of the 'toons' in the employee of his park. It seemed that upon finding himself in an era when being prejudiced against someone for the color of their skin was unacceptable, he had decided that he'd be racist against toons instead.

"Well, good morning there Mr. Frollo." He said with his gold toothed grin.

"Monsieur, if you don't mind." Frollo donned his holier-than-thou expression and fought off the shudders when he saw that not all those gold teeth were gilded. The man runs one of the most visited theme parks in the world and he can't get to a dentist? Flagg chuckled.

"I've been hearing some real funny rumors around here, Frollo."

"Rumors? I thought men of our…caliber were above listening to the gossip and drivel that floats around these grimy grey halls."

"Yea, that is kinda true. But ya see there's been a really good one lately, makes me nearly wet myself whenever I hear it."

"And that would be?"

"That you and that tasty little Cossack tidbit have been rocking the cradle since June." he said with a lewd smile.

Frollo could just about feel his insides turning over themselves at this disgusting man calling his precious, saintly lady a 'tasty Cossack tidbit'. He kept his face locked in his haughty expression though, and added his poisonous, blade of a knife, about-to-hand-down-the-death-sentence smile to it.

"Oh really, Mr. Flagg?"

"That's right." Flagg's own expression belied no fear, but Frollo clearly saw the large beads of sweat begin to collect on the man's forehead.

"I'm sure your aware of the park policy against human/toon dating?"

"This 'park' also has policies to encourage human/toon friendship and social interaction. And correct me if I am wrong, but isn't courtship a type of social interaction?"

"Well…"

"And, I may add, dating is not officially forbidden, just discouraged. After all your countries laws protect individual rights too tightly for you to do anything else, and quite honestly the leaps form daily interaction to attraction to sex itself are not great ones." Frollo saw Flagg's eye twitch and his insides settled down. This battle was his. Flagg looked at his watch.

"Alright, I'll let you go for now boy, but I'll be wanting to talk to you and the Muscovite later, you hear."

As soon as the door slammed Anya came out from behind the curtain. Claude gave her an arrogant smirk and opened his arms to her. She sauntered up to him and squeezed him tight. He started to loosen her towel and pressed his lips up against hers and said,

"Shall we finish this while we still have time?"

Disney World Theme Park is the world's largest consumer of fireworks. It goes through well over 1,000 shells a night and over 1 million a year. All of these fireworks are a piece of the excessive fanfare that signals the end of another day at Disney. Nearly every visitor to the park loves this flashy show, but Frollo has long since grown tired of it. The loud bursts hurt his ears and if he's developed a headache the flashes of light only make it worse. Normally he seeks out a quiet, dark, cool, secluded place away from the noise of the crowd and the explosions. This night like many others he retreated to the Moonlight Grove. But tonight Anya is not here.

Since she works the early shift she is rarely at the park when the sunsets. It's a painful trade off for Frollo. She can be with him in the early morning hours, but when they're little sanctuary is as they know it, she often at home, tired and wanting to rest. He's tired too, tired from the day, but also tired of this place. He had hoped that after a certain amount of time people would find something else to gossip about. They had to a degree but he and Anya were still a very hot topic. Now it looked like administration would try to crack down on them, and possibly even try to separate them. Fall was running its course, and winter, or at least some tepid form of it was heading towards Florida. Winter would bring temperate but wet weather and it would also bring thousands upon thousands of more tourists escaping the more brutal weather in the northern states, in addition to those who came for Christmas and New Year's shows.

How he wished he could escape for just a few days and go some place cold, some place covered in pure white snow. Recently he'd been entertaining a little daydream of him and Anya strolling through a snow covered forest, perhaps somewhere in Siberia, before returning to a very small but cozy rustic cabin as the sun disappeared over the white sparkling hills. A bone rattling burst from the finale of the fireworks show shot him out of his reverie and he made is way back to his suite, ears covered and grumbling all the way.

Anya too was starting to dream of ice and snow. She'd been living in Florida for two years but still when winter began to roll around her internal calendar told her there should be snow or at least a good cold wind coming in from the tundra. She still wasn't quite used to being hot all year round. She was turning her thoughts and her free time towards arranging to go home for about a week either on New Year's or Christmas and visit her family in the Winterland of the Midwest, aka Minneapolis Minnesota. She'd been talking to her parents regularly, and was on the phone with her mother again tonight, speaking in her familiar Russian.

"How are Raisa and her new husband?"

"Koshka*, your sister has been on the phone complaining to anyone who might listen about him. I know she's called you too."

"She has, but I didn't listen."

"You should listen to your sister when she needs you."

"Mama, what do you want? You were just complaining about her."

"Yes Koshka, but I still listened."

"Well, besides that mama, I'm trying to get a week or two off, but it won't be easy. The holiday's is when the park is the busiest."

"I know. Just tell us when you can come home and papa will send you the ticket right away."

"Mama, I can pay for my own ticket."

"And then not eat for weeks when you get back. Koshka, you should come home, find a better job here."

"Mama…"

"I know its painful for you my little Koshka, but you should not be so worried about your pride."

"Its not my pride, mama."

"If it's about that insolent little boy you were engaged to and didn't wait for you, you needn't worry about him!"

"Papa! Mama I asked you to stop putting my calls on speaker phone!"

"He made me darling."

"Yes I'm sure. Its not him or my pride keeping me here anymore."

"Anymore? Anya, you met someone?"

Anya bit her lip.

"Yes, you might say…"

"Good!" she could her father slap his belly, "who is my future son in law?"

"Papa!"

"Peter!"

"What?"

Mother and daughter growled in tandem.

"I did meet someone, but its still young, and he's…"

"He's what, Koshka?"

"Nothing, never mind."

"Well, whoever he is he must be a good man. He's made you very happy."

"Mama?"

"Your voice, its soft and happy again."

Anya smiled a hint.

"Mama, it's getting late, and I need…"

"Need to be up early…I know Koshka. We're all looking forward to seeing you."

"Yes my daughter, try to bring that new man of yours in for… ow!"

"Stop it Peter! Koshka said it was still young. Don't scare him off with thoughts of marriage now."

Anya laughed.

"Goodbye mama, goodbye papa. I love you both."

"Goodnight dear Koshka, we love you too."

Anya put the phone back in its cradle. Frollo meeting her family; Claude Frollo meeting her big, loud, boisterous, thoroughly Russian family. Scenario after scenario ran through her head before she remembered something. Claude wasn't human. She'd been around him for so long she'd completely forgotten about that.

How in the world was she going to be able to explain this too them? They knew she was seeing someone, and she figured she could only beat around the bush for about another year. After that even her mother would be insisting to see him. Why did it seem like the entire galaxy was trying to end this relationship?

*author's note Koshka is Russian for kitten


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Christmas season brings almost nothing but a rush. Rushing to buy presents, rushing to get to relatives, rushing to finish everything to save time for all other rushes. Unlike most other toons; Claude was part of this too. He was rushing to see his beloved Anya as much as he could before she left for two weeks to visit her family.

She came in for one last shift before leaving. Her plane was taking off late that night and once she was finished working she wouldn't even be going back to her apartment. Her bags were in a friend's car whom had driven her into work and would pick her up afterwards to take her to the airport.

It was a chilly and sodden day under dreary skies. It matched Claude's mood perfectly. He managed to sneak over to her during her break. They hid form the rain together underneath the tiny eve of the building. Claude held her in an almost crushing embrace; he couldn't seem to be close enough to her. It would be the first time since they had become consummate lovers that he would be separated form her for more than a day. Neither one of them said a word, Anya didn't complain about how tight he was holding her, they didn't try to kiss, for ten whole minutes they didn't move a muscle. Finally Anya lifted her head and looked right into his eyes. He brought his lips to hers and they shared one soft, gentle kiss. Claude felt a little soothed but when their embrace eventually broke he also felt no small measure of loneliness.

As he watched her leave the park from underneath his mask he decided that the best way to pass these next weeks would be to simply be unconscious. His little plan to try to sleep through most of Anya's absence would prove a far more difficult one to carry out than he first thought. Sleep would become an escape for Anya too. Any other mode of transportation form car to ship never bothered her. But the second a plane took her off the ground her stomach would do somersaults. So she drank chamomile and ginger tea to calm her stomach and put her to sleep.

As she slept she dreamed. Once she woke most of images became fuzzy and faded away. But one image stayed with her; it was of Claude, wearing his normal clothes but with the colors changed. Instead of black, white, instead of red, gold, instead of purple, silver. He was standing in a snow covered forest, among gothic ruins of a cathedral not far from a white altar that looked like it was made from ice and covered in white and cream colored flowers, roses, lilies, and what looked like baby's breath. Two huge candles stood burning bright on the altar. Claude turned to her, smiling like a man about to step into heaven and offered his hand to her and beckoned her to take it.

This image circled around in Anya's head all evening. Even as she talked to her parents and siblings over dinner and nightcaps her thoughts still turned back to the dream she had on the plane. Anya decided to turn in a little earlier claiming the tea was still affecting her. Her mother lead her to one of the rooms she and her siblings used to use when they were young, and helped her get her things out of her suitcase and sorted into a dresser. As she climbed into bed her mother sat down next to her.

"Mama," she said in Russian. "I'm a little old to be tucked in."

"Koshka, something is bothering you."

"Nothing's bothering me mama, I've just been thinking about something."

"What is that?"

"Well, I had a dream on the plane, about…"

"About what?"

"That man I've been seeing, I saw him dressed in white and gold. We were standing in some ruined cathedral in the middle of the winter, and there was a big altar in front of us with two candles on it, and lots of flowers."

As Anya spoke her mother raised her hands to her face but her expression was obviously one of joy.

"Koshka, were there two crowns on the altar as well?"*

"Huh? Oh, no mama, sorry. Just candles and flowers."

"Oh."

There was a little disappointment on her mother's face but she was still smiling.

"Well then, go to sleep Koshka, and more sweet dreams."

She planted a kiss on Anya's forehead and headed to the door.

"Oh mama."

"Yes Koshka?"

"Don't tell anyone about that dream, even papa. I mean it mama."

Her mother grumbled a bit but nodded her head, Anya plumped her pillow and put her head down, and fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

Almost immediately that same dream returned to her. This time it was much more vivid. It started with them walking on either side of the pillars of the ruined cathedral. She saw she was wearing a long, light, almost weightless gown of pure white with pieces of curving silver holding it on her shoulders. Her neck, shoulders, and arms were completely bare but she didn't feel cold at all. She lifted her hand to her head and felt a coronet there, and a long veil.

She heard Claude call her name and looked to him. He was wearing his normally colored clothes. He stopped, smiled a little mischievously, and then stepped round the column. As he did so the colors of his robes changed to the same colors she saw in the first dream. He kept smiling and reached past her shoulders.

"Those wings fit you."

Anya looked behind her and saw two giant wings stretching from her shoulder blades. She turned back to Claude, and saw the same altar behind him this time with two shining crowns sitting proudly between the candles. He looked at it, turned back, and offered his hand once more. This time she reached out and took it. They took a few steps towards it, and then Anya felt the ground suddenly give out. She looked down and saw an impossibly deep chasm surrounding the altar. Claude looked down the chasm sorrowfully and back to her.

"I have no wings." He said.

"I will find you some."

No sooner had she said that than she heard the alarm go off. She pried her head from the pillow and slammed the alarm off. She lay in bed for a few minutes, with the dream still hanging about her. It was so beautiful, and her Claude looked so handsome, but its symbolism wasn't lost on her. Find him wings.

An incredibly loud thud in the next room jerked Frollo out of a deep sleep. He grumbled and stuck his head under his thick pillows. The walls in-between the toon's suites were so thin that it was possible to have a conversation with the person in the next one. And if words could get through, so could every other noise. It seemed like every time he had just fallen asleep, some would sit down, get up, walk around, leave, return, or make some other noise to wake him right up again.

He had also found out to his partial dismay that Basil's suite backed up right against one of the walls of his bedroom. And it was from that wall that the thud came.

"Please be doing some experiment, please be doing some experiment, please be doing some experiment…" he muttered.

He heard a knocking form the other side of the wall, and ignored it. Basil knocked again.

"Come on man, I know you can hear me. That thump could have woken a dead man."

Frollo growled and sat up in bed.

"You devious bastard. You make sure I'm awake to bother me with your pointless commentary?"

"I'm just not pleased to see you trying to spend all of your free time being unconscious."

"It's better than the alternative."

"Really, just because Anya's in Minneapolis doesn't mean you can't still get out once awhile?"

"Where would I go? The only reason I could get by without being recognized is because I had her with me."

"I will admit you have a point there, but you can't keep shutting yourself…"

"Damn it all! Basil, if you're going to get that deep, come over instead of shouting it out for all to hear."

Basil shrugged. He was getting somewhere; Frollo had never allowed him in his suite before. They weren't next door neighbors, they're suites only shared the backmost bedroom wall, so Basil had to walk down the hall, around a corner and up the hall again to get to Frollo's door.

"It's open."

Inside it was neat and sparse, with a few places filled by books or the occasional crucifix. Only one thing seemed out of place, the same wide brimmed fedora that Frollo wore every time he left the park. Basil had wondered just where the people that gave him the clothes had found the thing, it looked like it had jumped of the Shadow's head.

"Alright detective, what's your piece?"

Basil looked up from the hat and promptly launched into his speech. Frollo listened, partially; most of his mind wandered away to thoughts of his missing Anya. Again and again the image of her wandering in an empty, snow covered land passed before his mind's eye. The sound of a very perturbed Basil brought him back. Apparently being ignored drives him up a wall as much as a failed experiment. Basil calmed down and leaned up against the wall.

"Are you ever not thinking about her?" he asked honestly.

Frollo shook his head.

"No wonder you want to sleep all the time."

"Sleep brings dreams, and sometimes those are worse."

"Worse? How so?"

Frollo waved his hand as if trying to bat something way from his face.

"Sometimes they're very vivid, filled with obvious symbolisms. Heh, my own subconscious acting as my confessor."

"What kind of symbols?"

Frollo waved a finger at him.

"Ah-ah-ah, I know better than to let you in there."

"Fine, have it your way."

"I just want to get through these days until she's back, alright? Have I bought myself that much peace or do I need to give out some more personal information?"

"No, I'll leave you be."

Basil left, as soon as the door closed behind him, Frollo went back into his bedroom and lay back down on the covers. He missed Parisian winters very much, but not quite as much as he was starting to miss his stone walled, completely private chambers in the Palace of Justice.

The next few days were unusually chilly, and chased most local visitors away from any outdoor activities. The only patrons were ones who seemed to hail from the same places that the cold winds themselves had traveled from, people who were used to a chill. The brisk air gave Frollo a slight lift, but he still wouldn't feel the same till Anya returned. And on top of that, he'd noticed that Flagg had been hanging around the park proper and not hiding away in his big office. It seemed every time Frollo turned around Flagg was malingering somewhere nearby.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Anya held her hand level and stretched out her fingers. Even in the position, it was quivering. It wasn't some Minnesota draft making her shake, she was missing her Claude, and missing him badly. She was currently sitting in the living room watching the news with her uncle, father, and a few siblings. All she really wanted to do was curl up in Claude's arms and take in a deep whiff of his sandalwood and incense like scent. She was deeply relieved to be going back to Florida the next day.

Christmas had been fun, and she had gotten some decent gifts, and had loved spending time with all her cousins and nieces and nephews and siblings and aunts and uncles and old friends, but right now all she wanted was her lover. Her mother seemed to sense that and every so often smiled coyly at her daughter. Anya excused herself and headed off to bed, even though her plane didn't leave till 11 the next morning. Sleep offered her the chance to dream though, and it seemed every time she did Claude came to visit her.

Anya woke up at about six the next morning, but lay in bed till about eight. Time seemed to go both quickly and slowly, every second could feel like an hour, and the next thing she knew a real hour had passed. Before she realized it she had bid tearful goodbyes to her family and was on the plane well on her way back to Orlando. Hours later still and she had picked up her car, and finally arrived back at her apartment. She put her bag up against the wall and threw herself into the bed. The day was one of those dreary ones that threatens and threatens rain but never follows through, the kind of weather that drags most everyone down into a dull mood. Anya smacked her pillow, pulled herself off the bed and left the apartment. She knew of one thing that would most certainly brighten her spirits.

The parking lot of Disney World was unusually empty. Anya parked her little red car and started walking towards the gate. She gave the guards a curt nod and entered. She hadn't gotten two steps inside when from the corner of her eye she spotted something bright and blue, then

"Hey, Hi, how ya doin? Your Anya right?"

Anya's hair was practically standing on end after that scare. She growled a bit and turned around. The voice was enough to tell her who had just startled the living soul out of her. Lord of the Dead, the premier wheeler and dealer that could make a person laugh their ass off one second and be perfectly capable of taking a human life the next.

"What the hell do you want Hades?"

"Nothing, nothing, nothing at all, I just need minute to chat, and hey, I'm a fast talker…"

"I can see that."

"Right, ok its pretty obvious that you and the Judge have been an item for awhile, and anyone with half a brain can see it's the real deal."

"And you know deals, right?"

"Ha ha ha ha! I like you! And I have some respect for that boyfriend of yours too, which is why I wanted to give you a little tiny heads up."

"And you want what in return?"

"Nothing! I swear! I wanted to fill you in on some of the things that have been floating around while you were away."

As he yacked Hades started moving in on Anya, who in response began backing away while never taking her eyes off of him.

"Ok, Flagg has talked to you right, and the gypsy, so you have some idea of the general feeling among the 'good guys'."

"Yes."

"But did you know, that the princess, all their royal prissiness, have been complaining directly to the top brass, and rallying almost everyone else to support them."

"By everyone else, you mean the other 'good' toons?" she asked.

"Mostly, you see, Flagg normally wouldn't give a flying hydra's ass about any of this but, those damn royal bitches have him by the balls. I just wanted to give you a little room to wiggle here, and I'm not the only who thinks so."

"I can still see some favor coming at me."

"Mmm, maybe, I may need something later, but for now, just talk to your Judge, and don't let the higher ups drop any shit on ya. M'kay? Bye."

Hades disappeared in a cloud of black vapor. Anya shook her head and continued on her way, pausing for the occasional shudder.

"I was aware of most of that. And yes, he probably wants some kind of favor. Basil has mentioned that he's been talking about wanting to get out of the park, that could be what he wants." Claude said.

"Basil mentioned? Hmm, seems you too are becoming fast friends."

Claude smirked.

"We have similar intellects."

Anya snuggled a little closer to him. They were lying on the bed, and had been talking very softly for about an hour. It was the first time she had been in his flat but she wasn't very concerned with checking out his decorating tastes.

She rested her head against his chest and soaked in the sound of his deep, rumbling voice as he spoke. Every bit worry and stress had long since faded away, and she could feel sleep beginning to come over her. She didn't fight it, and Claude quickly realized it. He decided to worry about sneaking her back out later, for now he was perfectly content to keep her next to him.

Getting Anya out un-noticed by supervisors turned out to be easy. The day was slow enough most of them were either in their offices or taking a communal break. Every chance he got Claude snuck a kiss, whether a quick peck or a less quick frencher. but all to soon she had driven back home, and he was still outside near the gate with the rain finally coming down. He pressed himself under the tiny eve of a building, and jogged back to the nearest labyrinth entrance. He took his time getting back once underground, wanting to give his clothes a chance to dry and moving seemed to help him think.

Anya had told him about the dreams she had while back home. He'd absorbed enough Russian history to know that the altar in her dreams was a wedding altar, as if their clothes weren't hint enough. A wedding, marriage, marriage to a human. It seemed like the literal impossible dream. But for a moment he let himself dream. It had to be a winter ceremony, in a great catholic cathedral, but they'd observe Russian traditions of course. For the celebration, a great ballroom decked out like an enchanted Siberian forest. He smiled to himself and shook his head. A wedding is one thing, marriage is quite another. And there were some very troubling things standing in the way.

But still he wanted to go down on bended knee and then take her for his wife, why shouldn't he? He got back to his suite and shut the door and heaved a huge sigh, throwing himself into the nearest chair. What was he going to do?

Anya slept well once home, and didn't wake up till her alarm clock blared at her at 5 in the blessed am. She dragged her carcass out of bed, grabbed her uniform,

ate something, brushed her teeth and headed out the door. She got to the park and headed straight to the showers, happily finding Claude waiting for her. They hadn't had an interlude the afternoon before; out of the kindness of his heart he had let her sleep. He did not hold back now, that coupled with the steaming hot water woke her up as well as three espressos might have.

After they were done, he helped her dry off. As he rubbed the towel over her back and waist he leaned in and spoke softly.

"I've been thinking about your dreams."

"Yes?"

"Your subconscious is trying to say something."

"I'm sure, but there are other things to consider." She shook her head.

"I've been considering them."

"Have you come up with any answers?" she asked.

"Yes, I have."

"And?"

"Fuck them." He smiled.

Anya did a double take. Did that just come out of his mouth? Where did he even hear that word?

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me clearly. About the only thing they could do is fire you, which considering your clean record would be completely un-founded and leave them wide open for lawsuit. Which I have on very good authority they fear far more than a few peeved princess'."

"So you're saying we keep going about our own business and ignore all the haters?"

"Yes, I am."

A worried look grew on Anya's face.

"Are you sure they can't do anything to you?"

"Yes, they don't want the outside world to know I exist, and they need me to work. They have nothing to threaten me with."

He finished toweling her off, and placed a dry one around her shoulders before grabbing one himself.

"Three nights from now, we'll have a quiet, romantic dinner alone. No malls, no busy bars. You can pick the venue."

He stepped towards her and cupped her chin, and said something in French which with his deep, smooth voice was the sexiest thing she had ever heard, even though she didn't understand a word.

"I have no idea what you just said, but keep talking."

He chuckled and continued whispering sweet French nothings in her ear. She laid her head against his chest, listening to and feeling the rumble his voice created. Eventually she lifted her head kissed him stopping his words short. These soft sweet moments were practically all she lived for nowadays. It tore her that they were so few and far between. She paused the kiss, and gently asked him when he wanted to meet her for dinner.

The a few nights Anya dressed up for the date in something her mother had helped her make. A long, gown-like deep rose red silk dress. The color is hard to get away with if you don't have the right complexion, but Anya's clear glowing skin blended with it perfectly. She added very little to it, no rings or bracelets, just a black chained necklace with a teardrop garnet and matching garnet earrings. She then made her way down to garage, pleasantly surprised to find the night to be warmer than most. Very carefully she got into the car and drove to the park's parking lot were Claude was waiting for her.

He almost looked like he had stepped out of a classic Hollywood film. The suit he was wearing was prim and tight, and of course he also had his fedora. They were easily the most glamorous and beautiful couple in the restaurant that night, a shame few noticed them where they were sitting, tucked away in a back corner, near a window. During dinner Anya noticed Claude seemed to have a serious case of perma-grin. She asked him several times what was so entertaining, but each time he waved his hand and said she'd find out later that night. Dinner was very enjoyable but with this mysterious promise she started getting ants in her pants.

Finally they got back to the car and he asked her to come into the park with him. The day in the theme park wasn't quite over; the fireworks show was just beginning when they walked in. Arm in arm they made their way through the crowd and towards the Moonlight Boulevard. Unbeknownst to them, someone spotted them walking through the paths together and decided to follow them, using the bursts of fireworks as cover.

Strolling down the Boulevard Claude periodically placed kisses in Anya's face, which she was finding difficult to return without having to walk on her tiptoes. When they at last reached the Moonlight Grove they stopped, and in-between ear rattling explosions Anya suggested they wait until the show stopped. Claude nodded and squeezed his eyes shut at another even louder boom.

After several minutes the show reached it's over the top finale, the sounds faded, and the colored flashes stopped, no longer corrupting the silver light. Anya took her eyes away from Claude and looked to the sky. The moon was waxing and only a few days away from being full. When she looked back to where Claude was, she saw nothing. She looked around for him, then felt his hands clasp her own. She looked down to see him down before her on one knee.

Her jaw dropped. Claude smiled up at her, and brought out a gold and silver ring from his pocket. In it's center was a white opal, sparkling and shimmering in the moonlight.

"This ring was in my family's coffers for a century. I didn't think I had it still until the afternoon you came back. It was then I made up my mind to do this, and only minutes later I happened upon it, looking for a suitable ring. Anya, my only love, will you accept it? Will you let me take your hand in marriage?"

For a brief moment Anya didn't move, didn't think, she didn't even breathe. She was as still as a marble statue. Then she took a rasping breath, laughed, and said,

"Yes."

Claude then slowly slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. He rose up again, and grabbed her, holding her as close as could be and kissed her as passionately as he was able.

From a distance away the unwelcome watcher had seen everything. She wasn't good at moving in bushes and hadn't gotten close enough to hear, but she didn't need to see what had happened. She tried to make her way back to the main path, but got some of her hair caught on a twig and left a behind a tiny, tangled lock of red hair.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Anya couldn't take her eyes off the ring. It was so amazingly beautiful, the opal's colors constantly changed and danced before her. Her first engagement ring had been a standard gold and diamond deal; the jewel was little more than half a carat. She hadn't minded at all, she was never very materialistic and it was all either one of them could afford. Her father had scoffed when he saw it. He said any man who really loves his intended would get a far better token of it. She doubted he would say anything against this ring. The silver needed some touching up, but the two metals intertwining, sun and moon, joining at the huge opal was completely mesmerizing.

After a few moments she pulled herself out of it, and changed out of her dress and into her pj's. She curled up under the covers, and took one last look at the ring, still sitting on her finger before turning out the light.

When she went to work the next day, she looked calm but felt her heart beating like it had a jackhammer. She went down the showers as was their custom, but Claude never appeared. She couldn't imagine what would have prevented her new fiancé from coming to see her but figured his schedule must have changed at the last minute. She went to her gift shop and started opening up, got her register ready, and prepped the inventory and checked the back room. As she was rifling through some of the boxes, someone knocked on the back door.

It was Claude. He looked pensive, almost angry. He pulled her out by her waist, she had to keep a hand in the door so it didn't lock on her. Claude nuzzled her neck, then spoke.

"Someone saw me propose to you last night."

"What? Who?"

"I don't know yet. A few of the princes stopped me when I was heading to see you this morning. I denied it. I hope that doesn't hurt you."

"No, it doesn't." she wrapped her free arm around him.

"They blocked you for a whole hour?"

"No, I walked away, went back to my room. But I could hear them hanging around. They didn't bother me when I went to work, but I've been getting some particularly ugly stares today."

"It's ok." Anya pulled back to face him.

"We knew it would get worse the closer we got. They don't have any power against us."

Claude nodded, gave her a kiss, and went of to his starting beat by the gates. He was a few minutes early and was able to have a few quiet moments. He heard a rustling in the alley behind him and whipped around to see his 'friend'. Basil was staying in the shadows, unnoticed by everyone else. Frollo turned back around so not to draw attention to him.

"I've heard you're engaged."

"Yes, I am."

"That's a calculated risk at best."

Frollo growled and started speaking French.

"Je serai si fatigué de cette politique ridicule. Qu'importe si j'étais un héros ou un méchant dans le film de quelques enfants? J'ai l'intention de l'épouser, et personne ici, pas de sang royal affaire ou la propriété de cet endroit pourri a le droit de nous arrêter. Seule Anya, elle, peut le faire."

_I'm so tired of this ridiculous policy. So what if I was a hero or a villain in the film of some children? I intend to marry, and nobody here, not royal blood or business property of this rotten place has the right to stop us. Only Anya, she can do that._

Basil was silent for a moment, then spoke up.

"You are a very determined man."

Frollo whipped around so fast the face of his mask spun around to the side of his head. He corrected it, then asked,

"You understand French?"

"Good man, of course, granted that translation took a little longer because you spoke it so quickly and have such an archaic accent."

"Hmm…Devraient tous se passe bien, j'espère être en mer à elle par ce printemps au plus tôt et le soulèvement a quitté son emploi ici. Je souhaite passer à mon épouse pour être à la neige, terres froides elle est venue ici depuis." Frollo said that even quicker and really ramped up his old accent.

_Should all go well, I hope to be wed to her by this spring at the earliest and next winter at the latest after I have left this job here. I want my wife and I to walk in snow, in the cold lands since she came here from._

Basil stared at the ground for a moment, then looked up again and answered.

"Vous souhaitez vous marier avec elle et revenir à la Russie?"

_You want to marry her and return to Russia?_

"I'm impressed you understood that but, non, pas la Russie, à Minneapolis. Il me tarde de voir l'hiver à nouveau avec elle à mes côtés."

_No, not Russia, in Minneapolis. I look forward to seeing winter again with her at my side._

"Prenez cette étape par étape, vous mai être en mesure de l'épouser, mais en laissant ici est beaucoup plus dur. The gates are opening, time for me to leave."

_Take this step by step, you may be able to marry, but leaving here is much harder._

Basil darted back into the alley and was soon out of sight. Frollo glad he was able to speak French, it would be very useful. Just as the first few visitors began to enter, a question popped into Frollo's head.

"Basil, are you still there? Basil!" At first he heard nothing in reply. Then with a patron only steps away from him he heard foot steps behind him again.

"What?" came Basil's annoyed answer.

"Non loin du magasin d'Anya, est un banc qui se trouve devant des arbres, qui couvrent le mur extérieur. Allez dans les arbres, et suivez le chemin jusqu'à ce que vous atteignez une large clairière. C'est là que j'ai demandé sa main, et jusque-là seulement que nous savions de l'endroit."

_Not far from the store Anya works, is a bench in front of trees that cover the exterior wall. Go into the trees, and follow the path until you reach a large clearing. That's when I asked for her hand, and until then only we knew the place _

Frollo paused as a human walked past, thankfully ignoring him.

"Souhaitez-vous y retourner, et la recherche de tout ce que le voyeur mai ont laissé derrière eux?"

_Would you go back and find all that the voyeur may have left behind?_

"Un cas après toutes les années? Je serais heureux de."

_A case after all these years? I'd be happy to._

Basil smiled and once again disappeared into the alley. He didn't have to clock in for a few hours, so he went straight to the to the place Frollo told him about.

It was quite easy finding the grove, and Basil began to inspect the nearby bushes and low hanging branches. It wasn't long before he found a long, red hair wrapped around the twig of a plant. He carefully pulled it away and examined it with his magnifying glass.

"Hmm…certainly not dyed. Rather well taken care of, no spilt ends. And," he sniffed it, "smells vaguely of roses… and" he sniffed again, "salt water?"

He gingerly placed the hair in a cloth and tucked it in his pocket, and continued looking. Further through the bushes he found dainty, female footprints, and a few threads from pink gown. The threads too, had the same strange mix of floral and sea scents.

"Ah-ha. I see, I wouldn't normally think of her as the sneaky type."

He pocketed the threads as well and headed back to the labyrinth.

The moon was waxing again, and the light is threw on Claude's face was nothing short of spectacular. With his hair mussed up and falling around his features, rocking back and forth and his chest expanding in ever deepening breathes, he kept getting sexier and sexier with every second she looked at him. A more powerful shock of pleasure forced Anya's eyes shut but she could still hear his deep voice growling and moaning. What felt like ages later they climaxed in quick succession and he rolled off of her, only to have her throw her arms around him and kiss him with enough passion that he thought she wanted another go. He put his fingers over her lips and shook his head.

"All I want to do is kiss you, I swear."

He smiled and started the fervent kisses again. Suddenly the phone rang, and in the previously quiet romantic moment sounded as loud as a fire engine siren. Anya grunted and crawled over to the phone.

"Hello!"

"Is the judge with you?"

Why would someone who referred to Claude like that call for him?

"Its for you honey."

She handed it to him.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"The detective you hired. What are you doing?"

"Making love to my fiancée, why?"

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Claude waited for Basil to say something. He didn't, so Claude did.

"What is wrong with you? We're in love, we're engaged, its what people like us do."

"I just…at your age I thought…"

"Oh shut up, forget it. Why did you call?"

Anya got up and headed into the bathroom.

"Ah! Yes, I found out who was eavesdropping on your proposal."

"And?"

"Possibly one of the most popular Disney characters ever, the mermaid princess Ariel."

"Well she does have a history of that."

Claude raked a hand down his face.

"Our favorite spot, possibly the only peaceful spot in that place is ruined now."

"I wouldn't say ruined, just not a secret." Said Anya as she climbed back into bed.

"Thus ruined." Claude gave her a look, which she shot right back.

"Was that all you called about?"

"About all, you'll be back here in a few hours right?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"There are a few people who want to talk to you."

"Not tonight." Claude rubbed his eyes.

"But,"

"Not tonight."

"Alright, but no dodging tomorrow."

"Very well, goodbye."

Claude handed the phone back to Anya and she hung it up, then promptly threw herself back onto him and kissed him.

"Now I'm ready for another." He said against her lips.

Frollo arrived back in his flat at about 1 am. He dragged himself into bed; he was drained but happy. All the stress that had been tightening his muscles and making his bones ache was gone. Now he just needed some good sleep; thank the lord he didn't have to get up till late afternoon tomorrow.

It was January in Florida but today was usually hot. The sun beat down and the asphalt and concrete covered ground only made the heat worse. Anya decided to take lunch on the cool dirt beneath some trees instead of on her bench. Not long after she settled down she saw her fiancé approaching. She waved to him and he soon joined her in the shade. Looking at his face in daylight she could see he still had some semblance of youth leftover from the night before.

She only got a few bites of her food before he started nuzzling her neck and kissing her. She laughed and pushed him away; he backed off only to speak.

"I wonder if you've given any thought to the date of our wedding?"

She choked on her sandwich.

"Claude," she swallowed, "we've been engaged less than a week, I haven't even told my parents I am engaged!"

Claude sighed and gave her a slightly disgruntled look.

"You should tell them tonight."

"They don't know who you are, I'm not allowed to tell them who you are."

He grabbed her face and leaned in close.

"Tell them."

Anya gulped and nodded. Claude put his hands down and gave her some space to breath again.

"I will tell you now I'd prefer a winter wedding."

"A winter wedding? You mean this coming winter? That's a little less than a year away."

Claude said nothing and only looked at her expectantly.

"I think that's a little fast…"

"Are you worried about money?"

"No, not really, my family would not mind fronting most of money if it's within reasonable limits."

"Worried about us?"

She looked up at him.

"I, its just that I've seen people do this before, get engaged and then married in just over a year, usually only a few years later they end up divorced."

"My dear," he cupped her chin, "we are not two stupid, over zealous, infatuated children. We are two intelligent, mature adults, who are very much in love. We've already built a happy relationship through trials that other couples will never see. I think we stand a good chance at successful marriage."

"What about all of this?"

She gestured around at the park, and the giant castle not far away. He gazed at it for a moment, then turned his eyes back to her.

"That means nothing. They can't chain me or cage me, they can't tell me who to love or whether or not I can marry."

"What about my job?" she croaked.

"Quit."

"What!"

"Quit."

"I'll have no way to support myself, and I won't be able to get back in here."

"You're a good artist, find a job somewhere among adults, doing something you actually like. I'm surprised I have to tell you this at all."

Anya sighed and hung her head. He was right and there was no denying it.

"Ok, ok, I'll send out my portfolio and see what comes back."

He pecked her forehead.

"Good girl. But that's not the only thing you have to do."

"Ok, I'll call my folks tonight too. What I'll tell them, I have no idea, but I'll call."

"That's better."

He pulled her in and gave her a sweet kiss.

"I have to go now, but you finish eating and get through this day, you have a lot of work to do when you get home."

He gave her one last kiss before leaving. Anya stared out blackly as he walked away. She could have sworn that up until a few minutes ago she was the one in charge in this relationship.


End file.
